


It's a World Full of Heroes

by D_Jackson531



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: And one to murder, Arson, Defenestration, Expansion of Miraculous History, F/M, Fear, Hidden Character - Freeform, Identity Reveal, Magical Hero, Murder & torture are glosssed over because I'm not that crazy, Power Stones AU, Secret Identity, Several violent conflicts, Some very dark back history, There is one reference to torture, high tech hero, mental attacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-09-08 07:12:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 46,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8835217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/D_Jackson531/pseuds/D_Jackson531
Summary: In the mainline Miraculous world, there seem to be very few items that grant you superpowers.  What if they were slightly more common?  And what if one of these older, more experienced heroes decided he had a good reason to intervene in the situation in Paris?  What would motivate a guy with a lesser magic item to run the risk of intervening in such a titanic struggle?The answers to these questions reside within.I aim to update this each Friday, starting December 16th, 2016.  I am planning on having 26 chapters to this epic, but that may change as the work inevitably expands out of control.  I will post changes to my update schedule.  I will often miss updates near major holidays.





	1. The Fruits of Success

**Author's Note:**

> I am writing this bit of brain fluff to practice writing, as it's a skill I have left unused for well over a decade. I make no promises on quality or coherency beyond "I'm doing my best."
> 
> Who is this unnamed guy talking to on a secure phone? That character is actually rather important and yup, I'm hiding that one deliberately. The character will be revealed as the story progresses. But rest assured these two are my OCs that I am introducing into the Miraculous world. Other background characters of my invention will be mentioned as part of the new back history but all other characters in the story will be from the show.
> 
> Oh, except for some new akuma victims. Can't forget them!
> 
> A list of canon divergences that I have made to help with the storytelling process:  
> The Moth Miraculous has not been missing for centuries. It was active much more recently. In "Origins, Part I," Master Fu mentions that he thought the Moth Miraculous had been lost forever. Just ignore that bit, he's got an idea where it has been.  
> It is possible to injure the Miraculous wielders, but it's not at all easy. This is not quite in defiance of Astruc's own tweet ("miraculous wielders are almost unvulnerable. [sp]") but I suspect I've made them slightly more squishy than he has. The nature of their invulnerability is explained and explored in the story.

Prologue: **NARRATOR**

Not everyone can afford a suite on the 36th floor of a high-rise on 59th Street in New York City, looking north over Central Park. This place was not as lavishly decorated as some of its peers, with hardwood floors, high-quality but fairly plain utilitarian furniture, and wall art that was pretty but not outstanding in any way. The kitchen furnishings were burnished steel, and the counter-tops made of pale marble, with walnut cutting boards to protect them from the knives of those who might choose to cook in the state-of-the-art kitchen area.  
The view out the windows was what made the place worth it. Central Park itself, along with the buildings lining Central Park West Street and 5th Avenue spilled out as a huge, living work of art in the huge windows that dominated the suite. Anyone who chose to stand and watch would see the living pulse of the great city as the eight million people who called it home lived, played, worked, and died within its borders.  
  
The lone occupant of this suite was not looking at the view now. He had closed the blinds but left the lights off this evening, and was focused now on his laptop, watching a video on a website he had been watching with increasing interest over the past five months. The cheerful red background, dotted with black spots, proclaimed its identity to anyone who could see the screen: the Ladyblog. Leaned over his laptop, he was watching one of the most recent videos.  
  
The akuma victim known as Rogercop is visible tangling with the two Heroes of Paris atop a spinning, flying police car. The two are looking a little outclassed in the battle as Rogercop manages to send Ladybug flying off, and Chat’s effort to save her only results in him being captured. A quick move from the Cat is the only thing that saves him – but it sends him hurtling away from the car as well.  
  
The man in the chair sighs, and then flips to a Parisian newspaper website. AKUMA ATTACK DEFEATED BY LADYBUG, POLICE RETURN CONTROL OF CITY TO MAYOR declares the headline. The man gives a dry chuckle, then flips back to the Ladyblog and uses a saved bookmark to cycle back to another video.  
  
This video shows only a giant head made of black and purple butterflies floating in the middle of the Eiffel Tower. The man clicked it to play and listened to what the head had to say.  
  
“Ladies and gentlemen. Listen to me carefully. I am Hawkmoth. Ladybug. Chat Noir. Give me your Miraculous – the ladybug’s earrings and the black cat’s ring, and everything will go back to normal, the people have suffered enough because of you.”  
  
The man paused the video and leans back, the light from the monitor revealing a man in his fifties, his hair mostly grey but heavily specked with both white and black. Brown eyes set over a sharp, angular nose and a clean-shaven but somehow triangular jaw gave the man a hard, uncompromising look. He was clearly a fit man for his age, his not quite six foot frame showing more muscular definition than was typical for a man who was creeping ever closer to sixty than fifty. Fine black slacks and a very high quality polo shirt gave him the look of the casually rich man he is. A slightly odd looking iron ring circles the middle finger of his left hand.  
  
The man turned to a book on the desk next to the laptop, one that had clearly seen hard use of many, many years. He flipped to several bookmarks, shaking his head at the first four before he stopped at the fifth and read several passages in silence. He then carefully closed the book and gave a final, resigned sigh. He reached down with his left hand and opened a drawer in the desk, and pulled out a cell phone with a piece of red tape adoring the cover. He flipped it open, selected contacts, then highlighted the only number in the phone, and hit ‘dial.’  
  
He had to wait for a minute before the other end picked up.  
  
“Yeah, darling, it’s me.” His voice was a gravelly one, rolling through the room in a baritone that could be considered pleasant once one got used to it. The man sat back in his chair. He looked resigned, but determination sharpened his features.  
  
“You know I would not use the secure phone unless it was important. It’s about those kids – and that Hawkmoth guy -in Paris.” He replied to his counterpart on the other end.  
  
“Oh good, you saw it to. I think we need to take that trip I proposed three weeks ago.” He continued after a pause.  
  
“I know it should not be my problem. But, well, you saw. Someone has to do something.” He replied to whatever his counterpart had said.  
  
“So you agree.” He sat up. “Well, good. Let’s plan to be there in three weeks. I’ve got some loose ends to finish here, and I know you do too. Bring all your stuff. We will pack it into my jet.” Another pause.  
  
“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t bring you to Paris and not schedule some personal time too. First time overseas in two decades? You bet we will be having fun. I’m sure we will have work to do too, but…fun will be important.” A final, brief pause as his counterpart replied.  
  
“Yes… best have fun…just in case. Good night, beautiful.” The man let his counterpart hang up first, then walked over to a window open the blinds and look out over the beautiful glow of the City at night.


	2. Paris, the Eagle has Landed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Alya records an akuma battle for the Ladyblog's livestream. She spots someone she wasn't expecting. And we're not just talking about the animated jungle vines. 
> 
> Noroo is tired. Hawkmoth is annoyed. Also, he's got a lot of...stuff. It might even mean something.

PART 1: **ALYA**  
_Alya Cesaire, prodigal reporter extraordinaire, owner of the Ladyblog, again getting the scoop on the latest Akuma attack_ thought the running, teenaged red-head, camera in hand, as she zoomed up a fire escape on the outskirts of the Jardin des Tuileries… well, had been the Tuileries Garden. Now it was a thick jungle that was slowly but steadily spreading through the center of Paris, whose origin point was in the utterly overgrown Esplanade des Invalides. Here, just outside the famous Louvre, the jungle was just starting to devour yet another famous landmark.  
  
_Or I would be if I could get any closer without this jungle swallowing me_ she thought grimly. She had watched other citizens of Paris who had gotten too close getting snagged by unexpectedly animated vines and getting dragged screaming into the dark depths of the encroaching mass of greenery. But while the brash young reporter was not keen on how far away from the heart of the action she was getting, even her recklessness had limits. _Getting eaten by a giant plant is not on today’s to-do list. But I don’t want to miss as much of this attack as I did the Volpina event a week ago._ “Don’t worry, Ladyblog faithful, I’ve almost made it to a place where we will be able to see what is going on!” she panted to her camera.  
  
At last, she made it to the top of the building she had climbed and could see the battle raging between the Heroes of Paris and the latest akuma victim. The small black figure of Chat Noir was leaping from treetop to treetop, no doubt slinging bad puns as he batted aside the animated vines that were trying to snag him and drag him into the heart of the magical jungle. The red figure of Alya’s favorite hero, Ladybug, was flying atop a Lucky Charm summoned hover board well above the jungle, as her yo-yo wasn’t well suited for melee combat. Even so, one could see the duo were confident they had things well in hand.  
  
Between them, atop a towering jungle tree that dwarfed every structure in the area shy of the now vine-covered Eiffel Tower was the akumatized victim. The man was covered in leaves and looked rather comically like some sort of pudgy potted plant. He was carrying a large stick that seemed to command the lashing attacks of the vines from within the jungle. Even as Alya watched, the man waved his stick at Chat, who had to go very evasive to dodge the sudden cluster of vines that whipped up in his direction. “I bet Chat is driving the poor guy nuts with his puns.” Alya said to her camera, which she now had oriented at the distant battle.  
  
“I think the latest victim is some sort of environmentalist,” Alya continued, as the livestream feed to the Ladyblog showed her watchers to the battle in Paris. “Is there anyone Hawkmoth won’t target?” The absurdity of the question struck her a moment later, and she snorted a quick laugh. _You’d think a former akuma victim herself would know the answer is: no!_  
  
Alya recorded the battle for a minute more before something shiny caught her eye. _What’s that?_  
  
The sight that had caught her attention was not even a quarter of a kilometer away, perched atop the central turret of the now partially overgrown Louvre Museum, casually slashing at a vine that was trying to catch him and drag him away. The unexpected sight was a man in a shiny golden body suit, with a matching glint around the eyes that hinted at a matching mask, holding a shimmering blade of yellow energy. The magical vine that had ignored the knives of other citizens was cut apart as easily as threads in a set of scissors.  
  
“Another Miraculous hero? But why is he just sitting there?” Wondered Alya. A few more moments of study revealed the man was not alone – something small and black hovered next to him, though at this distance Alya could not be sure what it was. “Viewers, anyone have any ideas of who this guy is?”  
  
Abruptly the man stood, and vaulted away from Alya, back behind the tower of the Louvre, where he vanished from sight. The black hovering object followed just as quickly. Alya wasn’t sure if she was relieved she could get back to filming the action of the akuma attack or not. “A new mystery! Another masked figure, to go with Ladybug, Chat Noir and Hawkmoth… I wonder who he is?” she exclaimed to her viewers.  
  
Alya turned back to the battle over the Esplanade to narrate its conclusion – Chat had managed to close the distance to where the towering giant of a tree loomed, then toppled it with his Cataclysm, sending the akumatized victim hurtling earthward as well – until a yo-yo snagged the victim and left him suspended from the Eiffel Tower, upside down and helpless, for Ladybug to take his stick, snap it, reveal the akuma, and purify it. One cry of “Miraculous Ladybug!” later, and Paris was again as it had been before the attack.  
  
Alya sat down atop the building she had recorded much of the attack on the review what she had gotten. _Hmm, wish I could have gotten closer – but I have video of this new golden hero as well. At least I hope he is a hero… still that should make up for my failure to get closer. Good work, me!_  
  
**HAWKMOTH**  
  
“Damn you, Ladybug and Chat Noir! You will fail one of these days… and when it happens, even the darkest jungle will not hide you from my wrath!” Hawkmoth shouted at the window that looked out over Paris from his lair. The huge window quickly and silently slid shut, then the lights inside the pair came on as Hawkmoth disgustedly turned away from the window, a cloud of pale butterflies fluttering, disturbed in his wake as he walked across the room.  
  
The lair was not what one would expect. It was clearly a scholar’s room. The circular space had multiple bookshelves filled with tomes of many ages, ranging from ‘brand new’ to ‘this should be in a museum’ to ‘how is this not dust yet.’ Other shelves held objects of every type and description; volcanic chunks of rock, fossils, and artifacts of multiple civilizations – Chinese, Russian, Roman, Indian, and Zulu, to name a few. Five tables made a neat half-circle behind where Hawkmoth had stood to orchestrate his akuma attack. One was bare but for a jug of sweet tea (with a straw sticking out the top of it), a bottle of expensive red wine, and a single deep-bellied glass. The other four, two to each side of the drink table, had neat stacks of books and papers. The table just to the left of the drink table also had an ornate chair, a laptop, and a reading lamp. A box of cloth gloves completed the scene. A plain steel door leads out of the room. The walls were ordinary and unadorned, the dull grey paint somehow reflective of the occupant’s sour disposition.  
  
With a shimmering bluish flash, Hawkmoth de-transformed into his civilian form. A worn-looking Moth Kwami floated slowly away from the Moth Miraculous choker around the villain’s neck.  
  
“Drink your tea, Nooroo.” Commanded the slender man, who then walked over to the table, uncorked the wine, poured himself a glass, and then collapsed in the ornate chair with a grunt. He sipped the wine, grimaced, and then stared again at the closed window, as behind him the Kwami quietly began to sip the tea out of the jug with the straw.  
  
“I must have the Duo Miraculous.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting Chapter 2 immediately so you can see that this is, in fact, a Miraculous Ladybug fanfic despite the very small amount of Miraculous activity in the first bit. 
> 
> Next update is on December 16th.


	3. On Patrol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir are on patrol. Say, what's that?...

PART 2: ADRIEN

 _Another beautiful Paris evening waiting for my Lady_ , contemplated Chat Noir.  He was sitting atop the Notre Dame Cathedral where the two met for their weekly Sunday patrol.  He was early again, his enthusiasm to see his Lady enhanced by his desire to be out of the cold chamber that Adrien Agreste had little choice but to call home – if only for lack of a better place to live.  The sun was just dipping below the horizon, the azure skies beginning their daily ritual of changing into every color the human eye could perceive in a spectacular display that couples around the world never seemed to grow tired of watching together.  _I certainly wish I could share more sunsets with Ladybug._

Chat’s enhanced senses picked up the distinctive sound of someone making a soft, graceful landing on the roof nearby.  Chat knew who it was without even looking – who else could land atop Notre Dame?  _It’s not like there are other heroes around._

“Good evening, Chat.” Ladybug’s voice softly carried from behind him. 

“Good evening, Bugaboo.” replied Chat, standing and turning around to see his partner.  _Such confidence in her stance_ he marveled _, and those blue eyes – so compassionate... I really wish I knew who was behind that mask._

Normally she would roll her eyes at his use of that nickname, but today she scarcely seemed to notice it.  “I’ve got something to discuss with you, Chat.” She said, walking over to the edge of the bell-tower where he had been sitting.

 _Well this is unusual.  Normally we just banter a bit, and then head out to patrol the city.  Must be important._   Chat sat back down and patted the stone lip he had been contemplating the sunset from.  “Grab a seat, Ladybug.  I am, as always, all ears when you have things to say.”  He flicked his ears at her with a grin.

This time she did roll her eyes, but again did not comment as she sat down where he had indicated.  _Oh, wow.  This must be really important._  “Chat” she said, giving him what he called her ‘I’m being very serious here’ look, and continued “Did you see the latest videos on the Ladyblog?”

“Of course!” he replied.  “I like to see how awesome we look as I defeat Hawkmoth’s latest victim.”  _And I might just like seeing how awesome you look as well.  Alya knows how to get your good side even while dodging whatever danger is being unleashed.  Chat Noir needs to thank her for that one of these days._ He grinned at her.  “Jealous of my superior acrobatics while dealing with Jungle Man?”

“I got to ride a hover board, Kitty.  Tell me when you find a way to top that.”  Ladybug’s was briefly more cheerful, then returned to her serious tone.  “So you saw that brief video of the gold-suited hero.”

“Yes. Of course.”   _Briefly, while looking for more videos of you dealing with that akuma_.  “I, ah, wonder who he is.”  Chat gave her his most disarming grin.

“Well, it is now the fourth most commented on video on the Ladyblog, and it has only been up two days.  Alya asked if anyone knew who he was while streaming and people’s responses are pouring onto the blog.  It is all pure speculation, of course.”  She informed him.

“Do you have a guess?” Chat asked her.  _Maybe she has talked to this Guardian guy she mentioned once to me about Gold Guy._

“No.” she replied.  “And that is what worries me.  He’s clearly a person with some sort of power.  I took a detour to the Louvre to see where he must have landed and there is no sign of damage or injury.  That’s why I was a little late tonight.  I’m worried…what if he is league with Hawkmoth?”

“That is… a reasonable concern.” Chat said, his tail pausing in its constant motion as her worry reached him.  ‘Nothing we can’t handle, I think.  We outnumber him, after all.”  He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

She gave him a hard look.  “I’m serious here, Chat.  He’s not an akumatized victim.  It might require more effort to defeat him.”

Chat paused.  _I doubt anyone can beat the two of us, but if she’s concerned I should take it seriously._   ‘OK, my Lady.  I’ll give it some hard thought while we patrol.  Should I think of anything pertinent or useful I’ll let you know.  OK?”  Chat continued to smile, but much more genuinely than before.

Ladybug did finally smile back.  “Yes.  Thank you, Chat.”

Chat stood and gestured over the steadily darkening city.  ‘Shall we?”  _Patrolling usually cheers her up.  Racing over the rooftops is just plain fun._

“Yes.”  And with that Ladybug was off.  Chat blinked as the lithe red form zoomed away.  “Keep up if you can!”

Chat grinned.  _Oh, is that how tonight is gonna be?  Well, then!_   Chat grabbed his staff and launched himself after her, using the leverage he could gain from the staff to close the distance with Ladybug. 

Ten breathless, joyful minutes of racing later, the two were maybe a third of the way around their circuit of Paris, with Chat just barely ahead of Ladybug.  Abruptly, Chat’s enhanced senses picked up something… off.  _What is that?_   Chat slid to a halt atop a flat roof to peer into the increasing darkness at a small object floating over a rooftop a kilometer away. 

Ladybug shot by him, but skidded to a stop one rooftop further on.  Her great blue eyes stared back at Chat with a puzzled expression.  “Chat?  Why did you stop?” she called back.

“I see something over the roof there.”  Chat gestured into the slowly increasing twilight.

Ladybug hopped over the intervening street to rejoin him, and stared off where he was looking.  ‘I can’t see anything.  Too dark.”

“I can, My Lady.  If we get closer I think you will be able to make it out.  Follow me!”  And he leaped towards the floating object, racing over the rooftops like he had been born to do this.  _If Plagg didn’t need to recharge, I don’t think I’d ever want to take this suit off._

He could hear Ladybug following close behind.  Not even a minute later they were on the roof of the old building he had seen the object floating over.  He could still see it, partially obscured now behind a large chimney in the middle of the roof.   A moment later, the little thing slid to his left, vanishing completely behind the stack.

“I think it is a drone of some kind.”  Chat said.  “Doesn’t look very fast; let’s see if we can catch it.”

“Chat,” Ladybug sighed, “it’s probably just some kid’s toy –“her voice stopped abruptly as they came around the chimney and the floating drone was hovering over the open space between this apartment and the next building “wait, it looks a lot like-“

“-the thing hovering next to the gold guy in that video.”  They finished together, advancing a few more steps as they stared at the odd contraption. 

“It is.” Grumbled a gravelly voice behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little LadyNoir fluff before things bet a bit heavier.
> 
> Next update is December 30th, due to the Christmas holiday.


	4. The Offer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a skirmish of sorts, an offer, and a lot of verbal jabs.

Part 3: MARINETTE

“It is.” Grumbled a gravelly voice behind them.  “And if this was a hostile ambush, you two would be in a lot of trouble right now.”

Ladybug spun, crouching down defensively.  Beside her, she knew Chat was doing the same despite his gasp of surprise. 

The figure from the video was leaning casually back against the chimney, his gold bodysuit still giving off a few glittery highlights as it reflected the lights coming on as the darkness increased.  At this range, though, Ladybug could see that it was decorated with tiny black lines that made the whole suit suggestive of feathers.  Even the mask had this decoration.  The angular face framed two brown eyes, and his mouth was twisted into a scowl over his triangular chin.  A golden ring circled his middle finger on his left hand.  But while the pose was casual, Ladybug could see the coiled tension in the man – a spring ready to uncoil at a moment’s notice.

  
“Who are you?!” demanded a startled Ladybug, still crouched down, ready to spring to the attack or defense should anything radical happen.

“I am Golden Eagle.  You can address that little flying contraption as Weasel.”  The man gestured at the drone.  It had hovered in closer, and was clearly circling around to join the gold-suited man.  Closer, one could see it was a heavily modified six engine drone, of the sort used for heavy work, and a microphone, a camera, and a speaker all sat atop it, facing forward.  A light and a strange-looking box were attached to the bottom.  The drone was not very fast but it looked stable and rugged – well, for a drone. 

“Golden Eagle, huh?” Adrian scowled.  “I didn’t think there was a Miraculous that is eagle-themed.”  

Ladybug knew she was frowning a little.  _But we are kind of new to this, and I did not get a long look at that book that Lila had…_

“I don’t recall one either.”  Ladybug gave Eagle a hard stare. 

The gold figure continued to scowl.  “You’re telling me this is news to you?  I’m not a Miraculous holder.  I have a Power Stone, nothing more.”

“What is a Power Stone?” The question was out of Chat’s mouth like a shot.  Ladybug shot him a proper scowl but he wasn’t looking at her- _for once, when I actually want him to be_.

Golden Eagle’s scowl was replaced by shock.  “You don’t know about Power Stones?”  He glanced over at the drone, now hovering a few feet to his left.  “Weasel, they don’t know about Power Stones.  Coming here was definitely the right thing to do.”

“Yes.” Replied an electronic voice from the drone.  The gender of the speaker is hidden behind layers of electronic garble, but the inflections instantly had Ladybug thinking some Americans who had come to her parents’ bakery once from New York. 

 _OK, so now the machine can talk too.  Bet it’s a controller speaking via remote._    “So… what do you want from us?”  Chat decided to voice as Ladybug stared at the man and the drone next to the chimney. 

“From you?” Eagle grated.  “The Duo Miraculous?  Nothing.  I’m here to offer you advice and training, if you’ll let me. 

“And how,” Ladybug found her voice, “do we know you are not working with Hawkmoth?” _He’s been using proxies all this time; this guy could be another one._

“If I really wanted your Miraculous – earrings and ring – and give them to Hawkmoth, I would have beaten you both by now and taken them.” Eagle declared. “The few seconds you had your back to me as you stared at Weasel would have been enough to immobilize you both.  I did not, so you must realize I am not your enemy.”

Chat stared at the grey-haired man, stunned.  “Try pulling the other leg, Grandpa, I’m sure I could defeat you alone, never mind both of us together.”

“Chat…” Ladybug said softly from his right.  _If nothing else, he’s done nothing to deserve a fight._

“Seriously, LB, look at him.” Chat waved at the man dismissively. “He’s some old guy in a suit.  Maybe he’s got some sort of Miraculous device, or maybe he’s just delusional.  I want to find out for myself.”

“You think you can beat me?” Eagle stepped away from the chimney, turned towards Chat.  “I ask you to try.”

“Chat, no!” Ladybug cried out, but Chat was already moving.  _Oh crap, that’s my *partner* -_

And a few dizzying seconds later Chat was pinned to the ground, one arm pinned to his back and his legs trapped together.  She had seen the man’s hands fly up to cover his throat in a distinctive X, then the man had moved to his right slightly, then body-blocked Chat  but had somehow gotten a grip on his left hand, spun him face first towards the ground, and then also slapped some sort of hold with one leg on Chat’s legs as well.  Only Chat’s right hand was free but there was no way it could reach his opponent.  He struggled to free himself anyway but he was stuck.

A distinct sound of metal clinking had Chat furiously swiveling his ears around.   Ladybug was too stunned to move as the man handcuffed Chat’s left wrist to a lightning rod on the side of the chimney.  When the man let go of the pin a moment later Chat leaped up – or tried to.  The metal restraint abruptly yanked him back down.  He crashed back to the roof and twisted to look at his left wrist.  He groaned at the sight of the handcuffs. 

 “I’m sure I could repeat that sort of move twice more, then take your Miraculous and there would be nothing to stop me. “ Eagle’s gravelly voice grated from above him.  The gold body-suited man was a short distance away, juggling a key.  _Probably for those handcuffs,_ Ladybug realized. 

“I would stop you.” Ladybug stepped forward as the shock wore off, ready to defend her partner.  Eagle smiled, just slightly. 

“It would be harder to defeat both of you at once, but not impossible.  And if I can beat you, Hawkmoth can too.  He simply does not know whom to strike at yet. “Eagle scowled again.  “Thus my offer.  With training, you two will surpass him in power easily.  There’s two of you, and one of him, at the very least.  There are other factors too, but now is not the time to discuss them.  And you two are frighteningly ignorant of the world you have been brought into.  That must also change.  I’m a very experienced hero, I can teach you things that will allow you to survive the struggle you are now locked in – and, eventually, win it, or at least this chapter of it.”

“I’m not inclined to take advice from someone who locked me to a roof.” Chat growled.  _I’m inclined to agree, but if this guy is telling us the truth… I need time to think about this,_ Ladybug realized. 

Eagle smiled grimly.  “Me, either.  But I have.  And I hope you will too.”  He tossed the key at Ladybug.  She caught it gracefully, even in the increasing gloom.  “Meet me in two days atop the Musée de l'Armée, an hour before sunset.  I do sincerely hope to see you there.”  And with that, he took a few steps back off the edge of the roof, and dropped down into the street – only to appear a moment later gliding on shimmering, stylized wings, moving with speed down a boulevard before taking a corner out of sight.  The drone dropped away as he did, taking a different angle and vanishing down a different alley.

Ladybug crouched down and unlocked the shackles around Chat’s wrist.  “That was different.” She commented to her partner.

“Yeah.”  Chat rubbed his wrist.  “Do you think we should go?”

“I’m not sure.  I’d like to think about it, and we are well behind schedule for our patrol.  I think I will just go home and… contemplate what happened here.”  Ladybug gave him her most serious look.

 “OK, Bugaboo, let’s meet tomorrow evening to discuss it, if possible.  Usual spot.”  Chat gave her his best grin. 

Ladybug rolled her eyes again at the nickname but then nodded.  “Yeah.  This guy is going to be our problem, no matter what we tell him in two days.”

“I agree.”  Chat stood, and watched as she walked over towards roof edge.  “Good night, Ladybug.”

She glanced back with a smile.  “Good night, Chat.”  And she leaped into the alley below, leaving Chat to find his way back to his home.  She was soon swinging long the streets of Paris, hearing the occasional shout of her name as she sped towards the bakery she called home.  _I’m gonna have some big questions for Tikki when I get back.  Hopefully she will give me some answers that will clear up this confused mess._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, forgot to upload yesterday in the hubbub of getting ready for New Year's.


	5. Chatter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The various heroes chatter with their counterparts.

Part 4: JEREMY

Jeremy Weber, sometimes called “Golden Eagle,” sat in the very soft and comfortable lounge chair that had come with his top-story suite at the high-class La Réserve Paris Hotel.  It was very late; he had left the two perplexed teenaged heroes only two hours before, and was just finishing up the small dinner plate and white wine glass that had been delivered to him by the hotel’s staff.  He could hear his lady and partner Amanda Davis, sometimes called “Weasel,” tinkering with the drones she had used that day on the balcony.  Jeremy smiled at her dogged persistence at making sure every single one was 100% ready before she would leave her travelling work station.  _The same stubbornness I saw the first time I lay my very surprised eyes on her_ , he chuckled to himself.

He glanced down at the two important artifacts that he had on his hands now.  One was, of course, the iron ring that was his Power Stone.  The iron band circled his left middle finger, the shimmering grey surface with the tiny letters S.P.Q.R inscribed on it looking fairly ordinary to a casual glance.   But it wasn’t.  Without it, Jeremy Weber was just a stockbroker with a strong sense of justice and responsibility.  With it, he could become Golden Eagle, minor superhero and general sarcastic pain in the butt. 

Actually, the sarcasm was probably, no make that likely, from Jeremy.  The ring just made him more willing to indulge. 

But the other item was possibly even more important.  It was a very old book, put together when the United States was a new thing – and that was simply the most recent version.  It was known as the Book of the Golden Eagle, and it was where the Eagles of history had written down things they had discovered about both their own Power Stone and the various other magical artifacts they had encountered – including all seven Miraculous.  Major events in their history were also inscribed inside the pages.  The first pages had carefully copied Latin prose from the first Eagle, with translations into other languages – including, thankfully, English – at the end of the early chapters.

                Jeremy was flipping through it now, looking for information of the one he knew was called the Guardian.  He was pretty sure few Power Stone holders had ever met the most secretive of the Miraculous wielders, and fewer still had probably gone looking for him.  But if he was going to be traipsing around in what was effectively the man’s front yard, intervening in what the Guardian must knew was a critical event in history – well, he owed it to him to tell him what he was up to.

                “Jeremy,” came the musical sound of his favorite voice in the world, “I’m nearly done here.  Any luck so far?”

                “Not really.  It looks like Eagles have steered clear of Guardians and Miraculous holders alike over the past few millennia – not that I blame them.”  He sighed, stood up, and walked over to the table where his partner was fiddling with the final drone.  He leaned atop the chair and looked down onto the top of the black-dyed hair of his lovely Amanda there.  “If not for the potential seriousness of the situation I would too.”

                “It is quite dangerous, it seems.  And this city has at least four Miraculous active in it.  That’s pretty rare, I recall.”  Amanda Davis, oft called ‘Weasel,’ didn’t glance up but her left hand came up and caught his fingers atop the chair.  Jeremy gently grasped them, marveling at their talented dexterity as Amanda continued to speak.  “That last happened in 1939, just after the Second World War became real, yes?”

                “Your memory is impeccable, beautiful.”  Jeremy gave her a smile she could not see – too busy loading fresh batteries into the drone.  “Peacock, Fox, and the Duo met in Bern, Switzerland, according to what the Ash Raven passed on to my old boss.”  He sighed sadly. “I wish there was a record of their discussion, but if there is it is hidden.”

                “So this is an event on scale with that kind of destruction, then.”  She finally glanced upwards, her delicate blue eyes peering up from behind thin eyelashes.

                “No, beautiful.  It could be much, much worse.”  Jeremy gently rubbed her hand as he stared at the fancy painting on the distant wall.  “That is why we came.”

               

ADRIEN

                “I’m telling you, not worth worrying about, no threat to Chat Noir, or Ladybug for that matter.  Now where’s my Camembert?”  The tiny catlike Kwami known as Plagg floated lazily in front of Adrien, waving a tiny paw dismissively at the blonde teen as they sat in the cavernous room that Adrien had for a bedroom.

                _As helpful as ever._    Adrien has been trying for a few minutes to get the Kwami to tell him about Power Stones.  And the Kwami was simply not interested. 

Adrien scowled at the tiny creature, but went to his mini-fridge to pull out a wheel of Plagg’s favored cheese.  “I really should not be rewarding you for being so unhelpful, but we may need to transform.  Akuma attacks don’t seem to run on a set schedule.”

“Never do.”  Plagg greedily grabbed the wheel from Adrien’s hand and zoomed off to devour the stinky stuff in a corner.  Adrien sighed resignedly, walked to his computer.  He woke the PC up, the blank screen flickering to life to reveal his Ladybug wallpaper, and pulled up a search engine on his web browser.  He started typing in web searches, hoping this might bring him some answers where Plagg, it seemed, had none.

Two hours later he decided the Internet had no more clue about it than Plagg.

MARINETTE

                “A Power Stone holder, hmm?”  The tiny red and black spotted Kwami hovered thoughtfully in front of Marinette, tapping a tiny hand to her chin.  The two were in Marinette’s cozy room atop her parent’s bakery, with a dozen cookies they were sharing after a much-needed dinner.

                “I’ve never met one, have seen only a few – anytime a Ladybug runs into a Power Stone holder they are typically transformed.  Both parties, that is.”  The Kwami took another bite of her ginger and spice cookie, looking thoughtful.  “I know they are not much of a threat to Ladybug and Chat Noir, they simply don’t have the power to overcome your defenses while transformed.”

                “This one seemed to think he does, and the speed that he managed to pin Chat with was frightening.”  Marinette shook her head at what had happened to her kitty, and then looked at the steel handcuff key, now sitting atop her desk.  “But he didn’t attack us when we were surprised, so my current thought is that he means what he says about helping us with some combat training.”

                “That could be useful.”  The little red Kwami finished her current cookie, then snagged another before continuing.  “When transformed, you feel more confident, and are more powerful – and part of this is the inherent knowledge in the transformed state.  You are capable of accessing some of the skills and abilities of all previous Ladybugs.  That is why you seem more graceful when you are suited up – they knew how to move more effectively than you do now.  With training this would become easier and you would gain better access to their more advanced skills.  Just like he said.”

                Marinette gave her Kwami a quizzical look.  “Good to know…why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

                Tikki gave her an apologetic shrug.  “The Guardian usually does that sort of thing.  But Master Fu is very old… he may not be up to it anymore.”

                Marinette nodded in acceptance as she ate the second to last cookie.  “So he’s not a threat while transformed, and the practice would be helpful.  I think I have our game plan.”

                Tikki smiled.  “Yes, and things will be better for it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update is 1/13/17.


	6. Walking the streets of Paris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone wants to find a certain Guardian, if a bit reluctantly. And there may be some ass-whooping in this chapter.

PART 5: JEREMY

Jeremy walked through the streets of Paris’ 13th District, his eyes scanning the area as he sought the hideaway of the Miraculous holder referred to in the Book of the Eagles as “The Guardian.” Wearing plain black slacks and a grey T-shirt with nothing more remarkable than a company logo on it, he was doing his best to not stand out in the least.  Alas, his Caucasian heritage made him stand out in the Asian quarter of Paris.  His only obvious bit of valuables was a set of earbuds that snaked from his ears, cord connected to his mobile phone, and the tiny microphone attached to his shirt.  Using these, he was able to communicate with Weasel, back at their hotel room. 

_I just hope no-one tries to talk to me; both my French and Chinese are worthless. According to the Book of the Eagles, I will be able to understand the Guardian; our respective artifacts will translate for us._

“So why, Weasel, do you think the Guardian is here?”  He asked her, as he scanned over multiple unintelligible signs. 

He could hear the grin in Weasel’s voice.  “It’s a guess, but a good one.  Listen.  The Guardian has traditionally always been a Buddhist.  The only Buddhist temple in Paris proper is there.  Also, it has been the site of the *fewest* Akuma attacks.  The Guardian must like it quiet and must know what triggers akumatization, so he quietly combats the symptoms by keeping folks calm.  Finally, there’s one passage in the Book that says the *previous* Guardian had just acquired a follower who was a young Chinese man from – guess what – Paris.  He’d want to blend in to help protect his charges, so it makes the most sense he’s be here, amongst other folks of Chinese – or at least Asian – decent so he would not stand out.”

“It’s a bit thin, but better than anything I’ve come up with.” Jeremy stepped past a small restaurant, humming with activity as the lunch crowd took their breaks before heading back to work.  “I just wish I had a better indicator to run with.”  _Glad to know my ring can warn me when we are near powerful magic, kind of… but not many Eagles have gone looking for other Power Stones before, never mind full-up Miraculous._

“Well, the Guardian is the Turtle Miraculous, right?  Look for turtle stuff.”  Weasel chuckled into his ear.

“I bet he’s not that obvious.”  Jeremy stepped past a cart where a man haggled for what looked like some sort of charms. _Probably the sort you gave your girl to let her know you are thinking of her while spending most of the day away_.  Jeremy halted and picked one for Weasel, a cluster of ceramic carnations on a fine black thread.  _It’s so ditzy, she’ll find it hilarious_. 

For several hours he crossed and re-crossed the District, stopping every so often to speculate on places that seemed like good possibilities to him –the places that made his ring *tingle*. 

An Asian specialty restaurant.

 A laundry. 

A massage shop. 

A bike shop. 

And of course, that Buddhist mediation center. 

Jeremy was doing his third walk-by of these places, all of which felt… odd, somehow, when Weasel’s voice piped up.  ‘”Darling, it’s getting close to sunset.  And I’ve ordered us a very nice dinner.” 

Jeremy paused.  He was right in front of that funny-feeling massage shop.  “I think you are right, beautiful, it’s here somewhere.  I keep getting odd flashes of *something* out here.”  _The ring just feels…fuzzier, somehow._

“I’ve got a program doing a run-down on all the properties you said felt odd.  We can look at the records after dinner – tomorrow at the latest.  Come on back.”  Weasel’s sly smile could be heard on his earbuds.

Jeremy started walking, headed roughly north out of the District.  “On my way.  Give me a heading so I can get back quicker?  I’d like to walk and think about it some more.”

One set of directions later; Jeremy continued his walk out of the 13 th District, knowing that somewhere in here was a man who was guarding some of the most powerful magical artifacts in the world.  It was starting to get dark, but he was not worried – at worst, he’d find a spot to transform to get back to the hotel quickly.  Much more likely, he’d hire a cab… _come to think of it, I’ve not seen one in a while_ , Jeremy realized.

“Donnez-moi votre porte-monnaie , et vous n'êtes pas obligé de se blesser.” Hissed a voice behind him.  Jeremy didn’t understand much of what was said, but the menace in the thin voice told him all he needed to know – someone was trying to mug him.  _Some superhero I am, so wrapped up in my thoughts I don’t see a threat coming up on me._   mused Jeremy. 

“I don’t know French.” Jeremy stated.  ‘But I don’t like your tone.  Go away.” 

“Touriste Américain stupide.”  Growled the skinny voice.  “Turn.  Euros.  Me.” 

Jeremy turned slowly as bid.  He gazed at the maybe twenty-year-old man with the large knife in front of him, and the three maybe slightly older guys lounging casually behind him, watching with strong interest.  All wore a red strip of cloth on their left arm, and the three watching, he noticed, had matching tattoos on the back of their left hands, as well as a knife on each belt.  _Oh great, some gang members.  Must have come out of the little alley there.  Well, I just need a little distance and I’ll have no problem transforming.  Now how to get that distance?_

His musing took a little too long, it seemed – the knife-holding guy in front of him slashed towards his eyes threateningly, with a snarl of “Euros.  Maintenant!”

Reflex took over.  He had pulled his head away, out of reach, and dropped into a defensive stance, hands hovering in front of his throat.  The knife whipped by again as the mugger chased the elusive target, and Jeremy again moved away, forcing the miss.  The third swing was just as wide, his opponent sure he had the advantage – and Jeremy lunged in as the knife blurred by, using his weight to force his adversary’s arm into his chest, then using his left arm to pin it there while his right hand swiftly swatted the knife out of his hand.  Continuing the motion, he gripped his opponent’s arm and ended up tossing him aside to the concrete sidewalk.  Three quick steps and a final spin had all four gang members in front of him again – one still reeling on the concrete from the shock of the counter, the other three now standing and pulling out knives of their own.

_Aw, damn._   “Back away, and no-one has to get hurt.”  _I wish I knew French._   Jeremy slowly backed down the street, keeping his hands up. 

“Francis , êtes-vous d'accord?” asked one of the three loungers, his eyes on the rising figure of Jeremy’s first attacker.

“Je pense que baise tenté de briser mon bras!” replied the guy, rubbing his abused right arm.   

“Eh bien, nous allons lui enseigner personne ne peut gâcher avec nous . Prenez-le, les gars!” replied the first speaker, pointing at Jeremy with dangerous intent.

_No point trying to run; they are younger and faster._   _Only one choice._   “For Honor!”  Jeremy remained in his hands-crossed defensive stance as the gold shimmer enveloped him, and a moment later Golden Eagle stood where Jeremy had.

“I’d run before you get hurt.”  Eagle growled at the four. 

The four glanced at each other.  “Qui la baise est ce mec?” voiced the third one.   

“Il n'a pas de Ladybug ou de Chat Noir.” Replied the fourth.   

“Très bien, nous allons obtenir ce sale Américain au large de notre gazon.” Said the second.  The three advanced as the first began sidling for his knife. 

_So much for diplomacy._   Eagle brought his hands out in front of himself, then gestured and a pair of glowing three-foot rods appeared in his hands.  _Let’s finish this quick before some person with a smartphone records the fact that the Eagle has remained in Paris._   _Oh wait, too late for that._   _Hmm, thug number three is ahead of the others…_

Eagle whipped forward, rods flashing as they blurred towards their target.  The brute caught one with his left forearm as his knife parried the other, but Eagle instantly spun right (putting his back to his adversary briefly), forcing the thug’s left arm up and away as he brought the right rod back across to strike to back of the knife hand, forcing him to drop the knife to the street.  Eagle then continued the spin to keep thug number three between him and the other two until he could bring both rods in for a rapid double tap to the man’s skull.  Thug three dropped like a sack of rice.

Thugs two and four had managed to put themselves on each side of him while he dealt with that guy, though, and behind them the first thug had picked back up his knife.  Eagle wheeled on thug two, one cane working high, the other low, forcing the thug back rapidly as strike after strike slashed in at him.  On the third swing he caught him by the ankle and managed to trip him, but a rush from thug four forced him to pirouette away before he could finish the job.  Still, thug four was now off balance and Eagle quickly gave him a rapid dual hit to the buttocks that ended up crashing him into thug two.  He ended the series balanced and facing the onrushing first thug.

Eagle slashed high with one rod, drawing his knife up, and then slapped the other straight into the man’s groin.  The thug shrieked in pain, locked up, and collapsed.  Eagle spun back to the other two, to see them both rising side by side with very angry scowls.  Eagle made a small gesture with his left cane, the language barrier overcome by a simple gesture.  _Come and have a go, if you think you’re hard enough._  

The two thugs lunged, and for several seconds Eagle was on the defensive, rods parrying slash after slash as the two men alternately tried to score hits on his face, chest, and gut.  _Hmm, they are not in sync with each other…just need to wait until – yes!_

For a brief moment the two thugs’ knives were close together, and Eagle used his right rod to slap them together, tangling them, leaving thug four open to counterattack.  Eagle’s left rod slapped down on the thug’s forehead, sending him reeling, knife dropped as he clutched his wounded face.  Eagle wheeled back to thug two, who was bringing his knife down in a huge overhead slash with both hands.  Eagle caught the stab with both rods, stopping the stab above both their heads, and then lashed out with his left foot into the thug’s right knee.  The thug yelped as the knee collapsed, losing the knife as he jerked from the pain.  Eagle promptly slashed down with his right rod, the blow to the side of the thug’s head sending him spiraling into unconsciousness. 

Eagle looked back at the two thugs who were both still conscious.  One was bleeding from a nasty scalp wound, and the other lay on the ground, clutching his family jewels and moaning in pain.  No threat there.  The other two were similarly bleeding from head wounds, and would wake up… eventually.

“Qui diable êtes- vous?!" cried out the scalp-bleeding thug.

Eagle didn’t understand a word.  But he had heard the same tone many, many times before in his life under identical circumstances as a hero.  He straightened slightly as he looked the man in the eye to give his answer.

“I am Golden Eagle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations, 'cause we don't all know French. I'd like to think context would rescue me but why take chances? I don't know French, but I'm hoping Google Translate does a 'good enough' job here. Writing is about challenges, yes?  
> Donnez-moi votre porte-monnaie , et vous n'êtes pas obligé de se blesser. ="Give me your wallet, and you do not have to get hurt."  
> Touriste Américain stupide. = Stupid American tourist.  
> Euros. Maintenant! = Euros. Now!  
> Francis, êtes-vous d'accord? = Francis, are you all right?  
> Je pense que baise tenté de briser mon bras! = I think the fucker tried to break my arm!  
> Eh bien, nous allons lui enseigner personne ne peut gâcher avec nous . Prenez-le, les gars! = Well, let's teach him no one can mess with us. Take him, guys!  
> Qui la baise est ce mec? = Who the fuck is this guy?  
> Il n'a pas de Ladybug ou de Chat Noir. = He is not Ladybug or Chat Noir.  
> Très bien, nous allons obtenir ce sale Américain au large de notre gazon. = All right, we'll get this dirty American off our patch.  
> Qui diable êtes- vous?! = Who the hell are you?!
> 
> Who doesn't like a good fight scene? I ended up actually researching both some hand-to-hand combat styles and _canne de combat_ for this charatcer. Neat stuff.  
>  Next update is on 1/20/17.


	7. The First Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir find Eagle and begin their training. There's a lot of talking and lecturing. And *someone* is being a sneaky, manipulative bastard. Not to be a bad person, but she's definitely not a moral high ground type.

PART 6: ADRIEN

Chat Noir zoomed over the rooftops of Paris, his staff extending and retracting as he made his swift zig-zagging course over tiled roofs, steel or brick chimneys, and wide boulevards _.  I love this feeling of freedom, the sheer joy of escape.  It’s almost as good as getting to see My Lady when it’s not a true emergency._

He had gotten out of the cold Agreste mansion early, but knew he was going to be slightly late to his appointed meeting with Ladybug.  He was just enjoying his trek a little too much and had lost track of time.  _Nothing an apology and a few puns won’t fix._  

Ahead, the spires of Notre Dame de Paris were quickly growing larger, and atop the southern bell tower he could see that small smudge of red that always filled his heart with joy.  He used the roof of the Cluny Museum as a springboard before he ricocheted from one side of the other of the Rue Dante, then atop one final building for his bound over the Seine River to the majestic cathedral.  

He landed just a few feet from Ladybug, who was watching him with a face that told him she wasn’t sure if she was more irritated or amused at him.  _I’m sure she’ll be more amused shortly_.  “Good evening, LB”. 

“Hello, Kitty.”  She had her arms crossed over her chest, but her face gave him a slight smile.  _Oh good, her mood is positive.  Her Kwami must have been more helpful than Plagg._ “A little behind schedule, I see.”

“I’m pawsitive I left early, but in my enthusiasm to be out and about enjoying the day I seem to have been impurrfect in my timekeeping.”  Chat quipped at her. 

Ladybug rolled her eyes.  “Really, Chat?  Already?”

Chat grinned at her.  “I can’t leave you feeling left meowt.”

Ladybug shook her head at him, then sighed and went back to the real reason they were here to talk.  “So based on what my Kwami told me, I think we should take this Eagle guy up on his offer.”

Chat’s ears perked.  “So Power Stones are not bad.”

“My Kwami didn’t say that one way or the other.  She simply said that they are not dangerous to us while we are transformed, and that if this guy really is training us it will help us become stronger – which will help us defeat Hawkmoth.”  Ladybug summarized.

“So, train while transformed only, be sure this guy doesn’t follow us when leaving to detransform, and it’s all good.”  Chat nodded.  “You do get all the good luck, Ladybug, my Kwami didn’t tell me anything.”

Five minutes later the two were landing side by side atop the Musée de l'Armée, where a solitary figure in gold awaited the, a trio of small drones hovering in a triangular formation above and behind him.  The figure waved once at them.  Chat snorted a quick chortle.  “It’s like he’s afraid we won’t notice the shiny gold suit or something.”

“Let’s be fair, Chat – we didn’t see him until he spoke two days ago.”  Ladybug reminded him with a slight smile.  “Come on, I’d like to get started.”

“Right behind you, My Lady.”  Chat bounded over towards the figure as Ladybug leaped more gracefully to the shiny figure, who was indeed Golden Eagle.

“Well?” demanded Eagle as they landed in front of him.

“We accept your offer,” Ladybug replied, “so long as we do not have to de-transform.” 

“Less effective that way.”  Eagle groused.  “But not my place to unmask you.”

“Good.”  Chat said.  “So…what first?”

“A little test.”  Eagle twitched his left hand, and suddenly he was holding a rectangular, shimmering, flat shield of golden energy about five foot high by three foot wide, with a stylized eagle imprinted on the surface.  He held it off to his left as far as he could.  “Ladybug, would you kindly throw your yo-yo at this as hard as you can?  Please try to not hit my hand; I’d prefer my limb wasn’t at risk.”

Ladybug gave him a puzzled frown, then shrugged and pulled her yo-yo off her waist.   “I’m not sure what you are showing us, but OK.”  She started at the shield for the moment, and Chat knew she was visualizing where she wanted the throw to go. 

One hard throw later the yo-yo whizzed to the shimmering target.  There was a brilliant flash, a loud KAZAM noise, and then all three were looking at a shield that was no longer flat.  The yo-yo was lodged about nine inches from the top of the shield, directly above Eagle’s left hand.  The whole top was now bowed around the impact point of the yo-yo, and cracks could be seen radiating out from the point of impact.  Eagle pursed his lips in concern as he looked at the battered shield. 

“I hope that didn’t put a dent into your training plans for today.” Chat smirked.  _My ears are ringing from the sound of the impact, ouch._

“I’ve never seen to yo-yo fail to punch through something I was trying to get through before.”  Ladybug said, staring at the stuck-together magical items. 

“Kindly see if you can retrieve your yo-yo.” Eagle instructed Ladybug.

“OK.”  Ladybug gave the string a yank, and with a muted ‘Pop’ noise it rolled free.  Ladybug tugged again and it rolled right back up its string to her.  She gave it a concerned look, flipping it over twice before announcing “It’s not even scratched.” 

Eagle nodded, staring at the shield.  He shook it, but it remained damaged.  He then dropped it and it vanished before it hit the roof.  He then made that slight twitch again and a new shield appeared, identical to the last one…but with a few cracks running in towards its center from the outer rim. 

“I always wondered just how steep the power difference was, Weasel.  Guess we know now, eh?”  He said to the nearest drone.  “High enough that the energy loss is visible from one good hit.”

“Yes, I’d rather you did not stand in front of an angry Miraculous holder in the future.” The drone buzzed back.

“Energy loss?”  Chat asked aloud.  _Well, the kwami do need to eat to recharge…_

“Yes.  I had always wondered what had allowed so many Power Stone holders to be killed during the Dark Time… and now I see why.”  Eagle dropped the new shield, and it vanished as its predecessor had.  “A subject for another time, I think.”

“Hang on, Shiny Man.”  Chat gave Eagle his best glare.  _You’d think, having earned so many from Father, that I’d have a pretty impressive one._   “Dark Time?  That’s a pretty ominous name to leave with no explanation.”

“It’s something I will tell you about.  Just not now.”  Eagle said, waving one hand at the two superheroes. 

“Chat’s right.  I’d like to hear about it.”  Ladybug crossed her arms at matched Chat’s glare.

“Kids these days… fine.”  Eagle threw his hands in the air, then jabbed one finger at the two. “But I’m on a time limit here: one hour.  I want to be sure we have time to get some kind of martial lesson in.  In brief:  The Duo Miraculous – that’s the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous – are a pair, but kept separate to protect both holder and world from their power.  The Dark Time was when one man managed to get his hands on both.  Many Power Stone holders and even two Miraculous were killed.  It cost a lot of lives getting them separated again.”  He then crossed his arms in front of himself.  “History lesson over.  Show me your fighting stances.”

Chat glanced over at Ladybug.  _She looks as bewildered as I do._   She glanced at him, and gave a slight shrug that made him think she was as puzzled by this lesson as he was.  Then she dropped into her usual ‘front stance’ that she assumed when preparing for a fight:  the legs one in front of the other and to the side, in a wide and deep pose with hips facing forward. The front leg is bent, and the back is straight.

Chat grinned at her, and then also assumed a stance, though his was with both legs slightly bent. 

Eagle walked around them, tapping his chin.  “A good beginner’s stance, Ladybug.  Hmmm… yes, I think we’ve got a good starting point for you.” 

He turned his gaze to Chat.  He chuckled.  “Oh, I see you have learned some fencing.  Useful, but I think a stance that is less about swordplay may be useful for making you even more effective.” 

Chat blinked.  _I’m not even that good at fencing yet._   “What gave it away?” he asked.

“It’s the way you’ve placed your feet and hold your right hand – it’s too high, like you expect some weight there.  Fencing.”  Eagle gave him a small smile.  ‘I practice Canne de Combat so I have had to learn to read stances.  Nearly every fighting style has a distinct stance.  Heck, the Chat Noir of the seventeenth century had two short staves and practiced Canne as well.  I read that he was a more…serious character than you, though.”

“I can be quite serious!” Chat proclaimed with all the pomp he could, watching Ladybug out of the corner of his eye.  Sure enough, she rolled her eyes – but he was pretty sure he saw a small smile on her face too. 

“I’m sure.” Eagle gestured at them again. “Try to replicate Ladybug’s stance for now.  With just a little effort you should fall into it pretty easily…yes, you have.  Good!”  He dropped into the same stance himself.  “We will run through some basic moves just to see where you are at.”

Fifty minutes later Chat and Ladybug were watching as the gold-covered man waved them to a stop.  “OK, while I’m sure you two are still up for more, I’m running out of steam.  And our time is just about up.  Let’s call it a night here.  I just want you to practice those last three sets of moves – together or separate, it does not matter which, just practice them.” 

“And what about this Dark Time? Or the fact that you indicated that you are not the only Power Stone holder?  And that apparently something can kill Miraculous…”  Ladybug looked more concerned than anything else as she spoke.  _And I’d be an idiot not to be concerned as well._   Chat mused.

“I will tell you more another time.  Right now, I just need you two to practice.”  Eagle gave him the look Chat was increasingly thinking of as his ‘grumpy old man’ look. 

“He won’t tell you until he’s ready to.” buzzed Weasel.  “But he has said he will, and he doesn’t break his word.”

“But feel free to try and find out more on your own.”  Eagle added.  “Kids should learn how to do research anyway.”

“I think we will.” Ladybug replied.  ‘Come on, Chat, I have a plan.”  She pulled out her yo-yo and zipped away, with Chat in close pursuit.  Chat had to push only a little, and soon draw up alongside as they leaped over the Paris rooftops.

“What’s the plan, LB?” he asked.

“Master Fu.  He must know more.”  She replied.  “He gave us these Miraculous, after all.”

“Master who?”  Chat asked.  _I don’t know this guy, how does she?_

“Master Fu, he’s the Guardian of the Miraculous.  Your kwami hasn’t mentioned him?”  Ladybug asked.

“No… how do you know him?”  Chat asked.

“My kwami got sick once, she told me about him and he fixed her up.”  Ladybug replied. 

“He knows more about this than we do, then.  Let’s go ask him.”  Chat agreed at once.  _Besides, I’d like to meet the guy who gave me this freedom._

As they swung off towards the 13 th District, neither noticed the tiny black drone that was swiftly following them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gods, I feel like I'm setting things up really slowly, then I realize I'm only about 20 pages in. 
> 
> Next update is 1/27/17.


	8. Meetings with Master Fu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Master Fu gets some company! He's happy to see some of them...and less pleased with the other.

PART 7: MARINETTE

Ladybug and Chat noir landed softly atop the small building that housed Fu’s Massage Parlor.  It was past dark, and the duo is trying to avoid attracting attention.  Luckily his shop was not on any major streets and the two were lucky – there were no apparent observers. 

Ladybug was just about to knock on the door when it opened in front of her.  As she started in surprise, Master Fu simply gestured.  “Inside, quickly.” He said.  Ladybug and Chat needed no further encouragement – both were inside and the door was being dogged shut moments later.

“Ladybug, Chat Noir.” Fu politely greeted them, now that they were inside.  “Let me get some tea on.  Then we can talk.” 

A few quiet minutes passed as Fu bustled around putting together a tea service.  Ladybug watched Chat’s nervous energy as he tried to keep his cool, though she could see he was about to explode from contained questions _.  I told him to try and be polite when we got here, and he said he would, and now I think he might be regretting it._   When all three were seated at Fu’s small table the old master spoke again.  “What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“We met a new hero calling himself Golden Eagle three days ago.”  Ladybug replied.  “I’d like to know what you can tell us about him.” 

“He’s not an akuma.  No crazed demands for the Miraculous, no fixation on one person over some injustice… just seems interested in teaching us martial arts.”  Chat added.  “We have seen him wield what are obviously magical constructs though – a sword, a shield, two fighting rods – he called them canne - and wings.”

Fu tipped his head and looked thoughtful.  “A hero calling himself Eagle, you say?  There is no Eagle Miraculous… but he had magical abilities.  Most curious.  He must be a Power Stone user.  I would tread carefully around him.”

“We have been so far.”  Ladybug replied.  “Still, I’d like to hear why you think we should be careful.”

“I advise caution because we don’t know this individual.  Power Stones come in a far greater variety than do the Miraculous, and do not have a Kwami to advise or guide them.  Many Power Stone owners have been villains that Miraculous users have had to deal with at one point or another in history.”  Fu sipped his tea as he finished speaking, his look still kindly and patient.

“Soooo…he’s a villain?”  Chat inquired.

“I can’t be sure he is a villain.  I simply do not know.” Fu replied.   “Some Power Stone holders have helped Miraculous users in the past too.  Some have actively hindered us, or even tried to steal the Miraculous.  Most seem inclined to stay out of our way.  His actions will no doubt prove his inclination.”

“So we wait and see. “  Ladybug nodded.  “Do you know anything about this particular Power Stone?”

“I thought you might come and ask me, so I looked into some records the Guardians have kept on Power Stone holders.   It’s not as much as I’d like, but it often suffices.”  He gave them a small smile.  “This particular Stone… Eagle is mentioned in one of my records.  It seems it is based on Honor.  That’s… encouraging, but just as a Miraculous user can twist the use of the Miraculous with bad intent – like Hawkmoth has – so can a Power Stone user.”

“We are meeting him to get some training in martial arts.”  Ladybug gave him a small shrug.  “Tikki said it should be safe, but he said a few odd things and I wanted to be sure.” 

“Meet him if you wish.  So long as you two are together you are in no danger.  Just be cautious.”  Master Fu sipped more tea, and then directed his attention to Chat.  “You’re about to burst from your questions.  Feel free to ask.”

Chat blinked at the direction, despite Fu’s gentle tones.  “Well… why me?  Why am I Chat Noir?”

“You have the temperament, and your soul’s aura says you can handle being a Chosen of one of the Duo Miraculous.  Just like Ladybug, here.”  Fu smiled at the young hero. 

“Well…thank you.  The freedom of this role has made my life much better.”  Chat said cautiously.  He glanced at Ladybug, and blushed slightly.  “In several ways.”

Ladybug found herself staring.  _He revels in the freedom?  What must his civilian life be like that he feels free as Chat Noir?_ “Yes, free to punish my ears with your puns.”  Ladybug quipped, trying to hide her curiosity. 

“Aww, you don’t think my puns are miraculous?  I’ll have to look fur some better ones, My Lady.”  Chat gave her a silly grin.

Ladybug felt her eyes roll.  “Not even slightly surprised.”  She replied.  “Come on, let’s go home, Chat.  I’ve got homework to do.”

“I do as well, alas.  Thank you again, Master Fu.” Chat gave a bow as he slid towards the door.

“Yes, thank you.” Ladybug echoed. 

“Anytime, my Miraculous wielders.   Good night.”  Fu helped the two out, and then closed the door. 

Moments later a small turtle-like Kwami faded in through the ceiling above him.  “Master, I think we can expect company sometime soon.”

“Why do you say that, Wyazz?”

“I just spotted a small drone watching them leave the shop.”

JEREMY

It was shortly after dawn that Jeremy walked up to the entry of Fu’s Massage Parlor.  He was once again dressed plainly and simply, doing his best to blend in with the locals _– though being a not quite six foot Caucasian isn’t really helping.  At least I know exactly where I am going, this time.  Weasel’s little ploy with the recon drone has paid off nicely.  Now if I can only avoid being crushed by an annoyed Guardian…_

Jeremy took a deep breath and reached out to knock on the door when it simply opened in front of him.  On the far side stood an elderly man wearing a Hawaiian floral patterned shirt, simple light colored shorts, and a slight scowl.  “I’ve been expecting you.” stated the elderly man.  “Please come in.  I suspect we have much to discuss.”

“Thank you.”  Jeremy stepped inside.  The fuzzy sensation from last time had not gone away; if anything, it was stronger.  He was pretty sure this old man was the Guardian. 

The interior of the massage parlor was simple, with a bookcase for a small collection of titles, some oriental art, and a screen of Asian pattern to conceal what Jeremy suspect was the way into the man’s personal quarters.  Against one wall was a small table with a teapot, still steaming slightly, and two cups awaited.  _Well, it looks like he’s not planning on smiting me quite yet._

“Jeremy Weber, sometimes called Golden Eagle.”  Jeremy introduced himself.

“Master Fu.”  The old man replied, then waved at the table.  ‘Come.  Tea will help keep this a civil meeting.”

A minute passed as the two sipped their tea before, surprisingly, Fu broke the silence first.  “You are a long way from your home turf.” he stated.

“I feel I have good reason, Guardian.” Jeremy replied.   “Events here are potentially threatening to the whole world – my usual area included.”  _The City isn’t always a pretty place, but it’s my place to protect and guide as best I can and I think I do a pretty good job of it_. 

“If you are worried about Hawkmoth, you should not be.  The Duo Miraculous can handle it.”  Fu said, cocking his head in a way that had Jeremy feeling a bit concerned.  _Hmm, his confidence does not match up with my observations…how do I convince him? Well… maybe I can show him where I think he erred._

“Yes, eventually.” Jeremy replied.   “And the sooner they can handle it, the better.  What I am worried about is that you played directly into Hawkmoth’s plans.”

Fu’s gaze narrowed.  “Kindly explain.”

“He wants the Duo for reasons he has not disclosed, and you activate the Duo Miraculous?  Seems… unlike you or your predecessors, Guardian.  Incautious.”  Jeremy pointed out.

“To be fair, he did not declare what he wanted until after I had given them out.”  Fu replied. 

“Fine.  Still, his goal is right there, strapped to two youngsters who are just getting a feel for the power they have.  He might have been practicing his powers in secret for years.” Jeremy noted.  “They might be on the wrong end of the power curve.”

“Unlikely… but I have made my play.” Fu replied.  “I trust that both the teens and their Kwami can handle it.”

“We both know that the Duo Miraculous ended up in the wrong hands once before, and the price paid to retrieve them.  It’s not a risk I like.”  Jeremy put down his teacup a trifle hard, the ‘click’ of the china cup contrasting sharply with the muted background of early morning Paris.  _I do not want to actually witness the beginning of the Second Dark Time, thanks.  Reading about the first is bad enough._

“What is your plan, Eagle?”  Fu’s eyes were still narrow, but with speculation or suspicion Jeremy was not sure. 

“I’m going to teach them some unarmed combat skills.  Yes, when transformed they unconsciously can pull from previous owners, but melding that with actual skill is so much more effective.” Jeremy explained.  “Plus, it will help them learn teamwork, discipline, and how to make better tactical use of their surroundings.  The fact that I managed to beat both of them while all three of us were transformed just three days ago in a brief demonstration bout has me quite worried.  If Hawkmoth akumatizes a judo master, or a combat veteran – or even worse, an active serviceman – we might just lose.  The whole world, this time.”  He waved his hands perhaps a bit over-dramatically to try and point as clear as possible.

“You say you just want to help.  How can I be sure we can trust you?  Many of your kind are…unreliable.”  Fu pointed out.  “I have heard about the treachery of the Silk Jaguar, and I’ve not met you before.  How can I know I can trust you?”

“If I had wanted to steal their Miraculous like Hawkmoth does I could have done it, no problem, three days ago.”  Jeremy replied in his most reasonable tone. 

Fu’s eyes got even narrower, but his words then surprised Jeremy.  “Very well.  If I get even the slightest hint you have become a threat to those two I will chase you off the continent.”

Jeremy managed to swallow his surprise quickly.  “I have nothing to fear then.” Jeremy replied.    “Thank you, Guardian.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Master Fu in the second part of this was challenging. He's supposed to be wise, compassionate, and caring, but I suspect he (like most of us) would find Weasel & Eagle's more underhanded way of getting information annoying. Still, they are literally vigilantes and while they may not always take the high road they do get results. 
> 
> Next update is 2/3/17.


	9. Of Power Stones and Miraculous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes get some exercise, and Eagle explain the relationship between the Duo Miraculous, the other five Miraculous, and the Power Stones.

MARINETTE

Ladybug and Chat Noir landed side by side atop the Université Pierre et Marie Curie.  It was their sixth meeting with Eagle since he had first ambushed them three weeks ago.  In the sessions since them he had been quite helpful, if a bit brusque and taciturn in his manner as he instructed them in martial combat.  _But we are improving.  I can feel my confidence soaring ever higher as he nods his approval.  And last week I pulled a move I never even thought of, a spring wall kick, I think he called it?  And today, he said, he wanted to work on a skill he calls ‘wall dancing,’ which sounds like a lot of fun._

“There’s a Weasel.”  Chat pointed at the hovering drone almost directly over the center of the huge university building. 

“So he’s here…somewhere.”  Ladybug peered around, but did not see the shiny gold hero anywhere.  “He’s going to try and surprise us again _.”  I understand the point he’s making, but his teaching style is a bit bizarre._

Chat grinned.  “He can try, but I hear movement about one hundred meters in front of us and slightly to our right.” The black-suited hero pointed at the open courtyard ahead.    “Let’s try to catch him out.” 

“Right, kitty.”  Ladybug broke into a sprint down the center spine of the university, aiming for where Chat had indicated.  Chat bounded along just behind her and to her left.  They were almost there when Eagle came flying into sight from where Chat had said, upside down and scowling fiercely in concentration.  His wings shimmered into existence and with one hard push he was hurtling over Ladybug, clearly aimed at a startled Chat.

“Chat, get down!” Ladybug yelled as she whipped out her yo-yo and made a throw at Eagle’s now rapidly dropping form as Chat tried to find a way out of his predicament.  He turned to leap off the roof but Eagle caught him by the right arm even as Ladybug’s yo-yo coiled around Eagle’s left ankle.  Ladybug barely has time to brace herself as the two dropped out of sight before the yo-yo’s line ran out and she found herself just barely holding on as the weight of both man and teen pulled on her line. 

“Better.” Floated up Eagle’s voice.  “You figured out my spot and one of you even managed to react properly to my sudden appearance.  Chat, I am going to throw you back up to the roof, then haul me up as well.”

“Wait, what, WHOA!” Chat’s voice got louder as he appeared over the rooftop, having been thrown as Eagle has said.  He landed mostly gracefully and quickly turned to help haul the older hero back to the roof.  Once his weight was off the line Ladybug was able to retrieve her yo-yo.  Eagle’s wings were gone, evidently banished while he was out of sight.

“Two goals for today.” Eagle announced as they finished getting untangled from the quick skirmish.  “One: wall dancing.  Two: time for me to tell you what I know about the Miraculous and Power Stones.”

“I hope wall dancing involves dancing partners, I’ve got a cute one to dance with here.” Chat grinned at Ladybug.

“Ugh, Chat, come on, this is not playtime.”  Ladybug groaned at her partner.

“Normally, no, it’s a solo technique, but there are a few moves that require two.  But we’ll start with the solo maneuvers and see how those go.”  Eagle walked over to one courtyard, a smaller one.  “Wall dancing is risky for normal people, but while transformed we have the strength and dexterity to pull it off, and resilience to handle the fall if we do it wrong.  I find it useful when I wish to pursue someone in residential areas without taking the rooftops, which can make you very conspicuous at night.  Daytime, well, you’re noticeable either way.”  He looked at the two.  “Easier to show the trick than tell.  Watch.”

Eagle began to run along one edge of the roof, leaped as he neared the end, aiming for the wall facing him.  He hit, bounded off it, but angled himself to redirect his momentum along the wall.  Hands and feet slapped windowsills as he raced along, zipping first down the wall and then up it, slowing only slightly.  He made a full circuit of the courtyard this way before hurling himself upward as he made it back to where he had made the first turn, briefly deploying his wings again to make his landing a little softer.  “Without wings you will have to tuck and roll the final dismount.”  He told them.  “Oh, and avoid sills with breakable things on them, they make for bad footing.”

“Ladies first.”  Chat gestured to the courtyard.

“Being a scardy cat, I see.”  Ladybug grinned at her partner.  _I’ll admit it looks hard, but then, I leap over streets all the time._

“Well, in that case, guess I’ll try it first!”  Chat leaped forward and imitated exactly what Eagle had done.  _I’d better be ready to catch him._   Ladybug mused.

He barely made it past the first turn and he was in free-fall instead of zooming along the wall.  One yo-yo throw kept him from hitting the ground hard, and then it was Ladybug’s turn.  She fared no better but Chat made a good anchor for her yo-yo to latch onto so she would not slam into the courtyard below either.   For thirty minutes they tried it, and by the end both were making full circuits of the courtyard with little trouble. 

“Good enough.”  Eagle said.  “We have just over ten minutes before this session is over.  Time for me to tell you what I know about these magical trinkets we all have.”

“How do you know so much about them?” Chat inquired.  “I would think the Guardian and the Kwami would know more.” 

Eagle gave him a slightly sad look.  “They surely do about the Miraculous.  The information I have on them is mostly old but hopefully not irrelevant.  Power Stones…well, what I know varies, and much if what I have recorded is on Stones that are known to be destroyed or lost.  But let me talk about what Power Stone and Miraculous are, first.”

Eagle leaned back against some ductwork atop the university, looking thoughtful.  His gaze went blank as he talked, clearly reciting from memory.  “The Power Stones are created by humanity’s efforts and aspects.  They can be created by a particularly powerful event, like the Rabbit Stone, which materialized when one man managed to bamboozle an entire nation and escape intact.  According to my information, one of his victims found it while pursing him and became the first Grey Rabbit, master of Deception, Disguise, and Guile.  Curious, no?”

“Quite.” Ladybug found herself fascinated despite herself. 

“They can also be created deliberately by sheer effort by any large group of people who are led by an individual with the secret of crafting them – though good luck finding someone who will admit to it!” Eagle continued.  “I suspect that if anyone still knows they either think it is a superstition or it is hidden away in writings in a vault somewhere.  In any case, the Eagle Stone was created this way somewhere near Rome just after 200BC.  It is focused around the Roman concept of Honor.  That is also why it turns me into a Golden Eagle – a symbol of the Legions, as well as a potent natural predator. “

“Many of the Miraculous seem to be predators.”  Chat noticed.  “Cat, Ladybug, Fox, Turtle… well, some turtles.”

“Peacock too.” Ladybug added.  “They eat insects.”

“True.” Eagle nodded.  “Predators are visible symbols of power in nature, so they are often the symbols chosen – however unconsciously – to be the transformed forms of holders and wielders alike.“

“Power Stones are not created equal.” Eagle resumed his recitation.  “The Dove Stone is the most powerful of the Stones, so potent few individuals can activate it without danger.  It is focused around the concept of Love.  The Raven Stone is one of the weaker ones, but also one of the oldest – quick and clever, carrier of messages, the wielder always seems to slip away before it all goes wrong. “

“A useful skill if you are cursed with extra bad luck.”  Chat muttered.  Ladybug gave him a glance, then placed one hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile when he looked at her.  He brightened up immediately.  “Guess it’s not all bad.”  He amended. 

“How many Power Stones are there?” Ladybug asked Eagle.

“I can’t be certain, but there is likely about twenty-five Power Stones active in the world right now, and a similar number are lost or inactive.  Before the Dark Time, there were as many as a hundred active, but… well, I don’t like to talk about it, and I wasn’t even there. “   Eagle looked grim. 

“The Dark Time…what was that?” Ladybug asked.

“A lesson for another day, that is. Not enough time left now.”  Eagle sighed.  “What else should you know…Unlike the Miraculous, Power Stones do not have to be benevolent.  Well, the Miraculous are inherently neutral but rarely end up in the hands of individuals who are unable to handle the responsibility.  The Guardian sees to that.  Power Stones tend to be handed down from master to apprentice but, when a new one is formed or a lost one is…rediscovered, they all too often end up in the hands of someone who should not wield such power.  And sometimes the old master makes a mistake… well, that’s humanity for you.  Also, there are Stones that typify negative aspects of Humanity, just as it can typify its positive aspects.  The Buzzard Stone is pretty powerful, and is a glutton – not just for food, it can be for anything.  One of the more colorful Buzzard wielders was known as the Bloody Buzzard – he was a masochist!”

“Ouch.” Chat shuddered next to Ladybug, who could not resist a shiver of her own _.  Let’s not run into that one, shall we?_

Eagle gave them a grim smile, and then continued.  “One thing Power Stones have in common with the Miraculous is that they tend to have a negative trait associated with their positive one.  Well, not you two’s – but I’ll get to that.  Eagle’s negative trait is Vengeance – if I get too worked up with negative emotions, it becomes very easy for me to fall victim to a need to utterly humiliate my opponent.  My attacks become much, much stronger, but the usual immunity to damage pretty much goes away.  And it’s quite hard to remain calm in a fight.  Other Stones have the same problem – Done Stone’s shadow is hate, Raven’s is muteness, and Buzzard’s is repulsion.”

“Replusion?” Chat looked surprised.  “Things stay away from him?”

“No.  He can’t go near things or people that he does not want.” Eagle explained.  “Which may seem OK until you have to go and turn in a report to a boss you hate – in person.”

“How do Power Stones relate to the Miraculous?”  Ladybug tried to steer the lesson back to a more useful track.

Eagle looked thoughtful. “They are much weaker than the Miraculous, which were all made deliberately, not spontaneously formed.  All the Miraculous are much, much more powerful.  Even the Dove Stone is dwarfed in power by the five Single Miraculous.  Bee, Fox, Peacock, Butterfly, and Turtle were created, I think, in a series of rituals over five thousand years ago somewhere inside what is now China.  The ritual is lost to history, and a good thing too – those five cause enough disruption as it is.  Each typified a series of aspects and philosophies of the people who lived there at the time.  They are so potent that we – the Power Stone wielders – have become convinced that the Kwami that are part of each Miraculous are not just a god that can advise you in your powers and allow you to transform, but they also protect you from the sheer magnitude of the forces you are directing.  All five allow you to notably alter the actual fabric of the universe – that’s what magic is.”

“Holy shit.  “Chat looked stunned.  “Plagg might be a pain but without him I’d be toast, huh?”

“Assuming that is your Kwami, yes, or so we Power Stone holders think.  It’s even more important for you two.”  Eagle gave them his most penetrating look.  “Those five are in turn dwarfed by the Duo Miraculous.  That’s you two: the Ladybug and the Black Cat.  According to my source, someone decided to try and stick their entire philosophy, including the powers of luck, creation, and destruction – the whole Tao, you might say – into one artifact – a pair of earrings.  But at some point in the ritual they realized they were trying to stuff too much power into the earrings.  But one ritualist had a ring as well, and threw it into the ritual to try and save themselves.  It worked – but they ended up with two linked Miraculous.  And a good thing too, as the power granted by both would make any single individual godlike.  And they do not have a ‘negative’ trait because they are each other’s shadow.”

“Wow.”  Chat and Ladybug voiced the thought at the same time, and then gave each other an embarrassed glance.

"There is one other thing you should know." Eagle concluded his little lecture. "You are immune to mundane damage - falls, punches, kicks, even bullets, blades, and explosives - while transformed. Oh, you'll know you've been hit, and you can still be thrown, or sent flying, or buried, or whatever. And magical attackers may still be able to damage you. It will be all about the difference in your relative energy levels. Right this moment, I could walk over to Chat and punch him in the face, and I'd be fairly lucky to do more than slightly bruise him. If he punched me...well, I may not require a trip to the hospital from the first hit but in a sustained battle I would run out of energy first, and he would either batter me unconscious or force me to drop my transformation when my energy ran out. But if I caught him when I was fresh and he had used his Cataclysm - well, it would still be hard on me but odds are I'd be able to hang on until he transformed back to his normal self. Then he's just be a normal person again and I'd be a superhero - no contest." 

"So it's not just important that we win our battles with the akuma so they can't escape and spread, like they did with Stoneheart - it also means we can't be caught off guard and unable to transform should the Lucky Charm fail." Ladybug observed.

"Just so." Eagle looked up at the setting sun.  “Enough for today.  I will see you two back at the Musée de l'Armée in three days, barring an akuma attack at that time.  Practice your wall dancing until then, as we will be combining it with some kicks and punches next time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> INFO DUMP. Hopefully an entertaining one. 
> 
> This was actually the first chapter written. The idea of there being 'lesser Miraculous' occurred to me one day, and I wrote up a very basic outline of how they could be formed and what their limits were - and what them different from actual Miraculous. Ultimately that evolved into this chapter,and then a story outline was created, and next thing I knew I had a writing project after over a decade without one. 
> 
> Starting at where Eagle says "Good enough." is the bit I first wrote. While the exact words of some lines changed multiple times and more emoting - plus that whole training session - was added to the chapter, I dare say 50% what you see is, word for word, what I wrote originally back in late August 2016! It seems so long ago... I blame Trump for the seeming length of time.
> 
> Next chapter will arrive on 2/10/2017.


	10. Intimidator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a late-night training session going on when Hawkmoth finds another victim.

JEREMY

Eagle bounded over the night-lit rooftops of Paris, the not so distant spire of the Eiffel Tower gleaming over the Palais de Chaillot as he arced over the Rue de Longchamp.  Behind him he could hear the distinct thuds of Chat Noir’s boots on the stonework of the buildings as he slowly gained on the older hero.

 _OK, Ladybug is probably loose from that bola trap by now, so she’ll be catching up in about thirty seconds._  Eagle didn’t look back, guessing Chat’s location by the noise of his boots. _That means I have to try and deal with the Chat…NOW._

Eagle spun as he struck the roof of the Pinoy Store.  He hurled himself upwards, deploying his wings for just a moment to help give himself just a little more lift as a startled Chat yelped below him, then dropped the wings to fall behind the black-suited hero, grabbing at a bright yellow tennis stuck ball there.

“Gotcha!” Eagle yelled as the ball tore free of Chat’s back, as he opened his wings again to make his final drop into a small open-air market there gentler.  He still landed pretty hard as Chat dangled from the edge of the roof above.

“Purrty-good trick.”  Chat saluted him.   “You didn’t show us that one over the past two weeks.”

“Not done yet-“ Eagle had to whip out the shield to deflect a yo-yo that came spinning in out of the darkness.  Orange sparks flew as the yo-yo ricocheted away; leaving a briefly glowing dual mark that Eagle knew meant it had sustained a pretty good hit.

 _That was aimed to try and tie me up.  Looks like she is – aha, atop the converted apartments, there.  Oh, shit-_ The yo-yo darted back in again, forcing Eagle to roll into cover or risk getting tangled up and helpless.  _Hmm, bit of a pickle, let’s see if that idea on using the canne works._

Eagle raced out of cover, the two canne marking his position in the dark like a pair of night-lights.  Again he heard the yo-yo snap out at him, but this time he crossed the canne in front of the oncoming projectile.  There was a loud electric buzzing noise as the yo-yo  caught on the two rods, the flash from the two meeting lighting up the neighborhood.  He heard Ladybug cry out in surprise as he dropped the two canne and grabbed the yo-yo as she pulled it back in to prepare for another throw.  He found himself flying upwards towards her from the strength of her yank, and one quick snap of his wings later he was on the roof in front of her, landing balanced and ready for the confrontation.  She was still dropping into her stance when his kick took her feet out from under her.  She tried to roll away – no fear of injury while transformed from something as mundane as a fall, after all – but he ended up snagging her tennis ball off her back as she tried to roll away. 

“Exercise complete.”  Eagle scowled at the two tennis balls as a grinning Chat landed nearby.  Ladybug lay on her back, blinking furiously, looking annoyed.  “For your first time playing catch-me-if-you-can, not bad.”  He looked at Chat.  “Could you get my tennis ball off me, please?” 

“We were so close so many times!” Ladybug growled from her spot on the roof.  “And I didn’t think of the bright flash that happens from a hard hit like that would blind me like that, even if it was just for a few moments.”

“Your speed did surprise me twice, early on, plus you managed to defeat no less than four of Weasel’s traps before that fifth one finally caught one of you.” Eagle responded as Chat took the bright yellow ball of his back.  “As for the bright flash, well, I was hoping it would catch you off guard, but was not expecting it.”  Eagle shrugged.  “You will be better prepared next time.  But I saw several reasons to be pleased with your progress.  I saw both of you use some of the mobility tricks I taught you, and Ladybug nearly made it into her combat stance despite being blinded by the flash and off balance from how I caught the yo-yo.  I doubt I will be lucky like that twice – and now you know to be ready for it should an akuma try it.”  He glanced over as a Weasel-Drone suddenly raced up to him.  “Yes, darling?”

“Speak of the devil.  Akuma victim in the 9th District.” Buzzed the drone.

Ladybug sat up, looking alarmed.  “We have to go.”

“Of course.”  Eagle gave his ring a worried glance.  “I don’t think I’d be up to much more of that punishment in any case.”

“Ladybugs first!” Chat chuckled, gesturing towards the northeast where the akuma victim was making his presence felt. 

As the two raced away, Eagle looked at the hovering, bulky drone.  It was one of the combat drones Weasel had outfitted, with the usual eyepiece, speaker, and spotlight, but also a pair of weapons – a short-burst Tazer and a one-shot bola thrower.  _Neither would do more than slightly slow down an akuma, a Stone or Miraculous wielder but that brief moment can make all the difference – like tonight._   _Poor Ladybug. I hope she’s not too embarrassed by her crash-landing in that laundromat._

_Well, there’s more important things to think about now._

“You’re thinking about going and watching, aren’t you.” Buzzed Weasel, breaking his brief reverie.

He grinned at the drone.  “You know me so well.”

A crackling noise that he had learned meant his beloved was sighing into her microphone assailed his ears.  “I’ll send what outfitted drones I have left to give you some over-watch in case the akuma decides to take a swing at you.”

‘You’re the best, beautiful.”  Eagle smiled.  Seconds later he was off over the rooftops, trying to keep his use of the wings to a minimum so he would not be so easily spotted.

ADRIEN

Chat Noir landed softly atop a roof overlooking the Place Pigalle, aware that his red-suited partner was landing simultaneously atop another rooftop just off to his left.  Below, despite the dark, was a scene of pandemonium.  University students, adults and even some college kids cowered in bits of cover as the akuma victim strode down the center of the Boulevard du Clichy, gloating that is was now their turn to feel his helplessness.

“He can’t be any older than I am.” Chat muttered.  Indeed, the boy below was likely about thirteen, though the violent red skin and the black mask obscuring his features made it hard to see how old he truly was.  The figure stood over six foot tall, with black and green jacket and pants clashing lividly with his unnatural skin color.  His two fists were outsized, looking like two massive paws rather than anything you’d expect on anyone who had not been akumatized.  But his most striking feature was his violent yellow eyes.  Topping the whole ensemble off was a battered baseball cap. 

“I have been the helpless one for far too long!  It is now your turn to feel helpless!  For I am INTIMIDATOR!”  The Akuma roared, then turned his gaze unto a young man nearby.  He stared at him for a long moment, and the man began to scream in terror.

Chat glanced over at Ladybug.  She patted the top of her head _.  Ballcap’s where the akuma is, of course. Glad this area is well lit so she can see._   Chat nodded his agreement, pulled out his staff, then threw himself off the roof at Intimidator. 

Chat was about to land on Intimidator when the huge figure whirled and an outsized fist slammed into him.  “Woof!” grunted Chat as he flew away from Intimidator.  He smashed into the stone exterior wall of the building he had just been atop of, shattering some of the decorative veneer. 

“Chat Noir.”  Intimidator snarled.  “Been expecting you.  Give me your ring, and I’ll let you leave without further injury.”

“I’ve not given any other akumas my ring, why should you be the first?” Chat grinned as he hopped to his feet. 

Intimidator stared at him.  “Because you are now… **helpless**.”  The yellow eyes glowed.  _Uh Oh._

Adrien opened his eyes.  He was in his room, finishing his assigned school work from his tutor.  His mother would be home any time now, and he wanted to be able to greet her at the door.  It was the best part of his day, seeing his Mom.

He glanced up at the clock, to see how much longer he had, and blinked.  She should have been home an hour ago.  That was odd.  If he was not at the door to greet her she would come up and see him here.  Well, maybe she had gotten delayed at work.  That happened from time to time.

He looked back down at his work, and froze when he saw the date on it.

It was the day his Mom had disappeared.

The day she never came home.

There was nothing he could do.

She was gone.

She was gone forever.

She was –

“Let him GO!’ screamed Ladybug.

Chat Noir opened his eyes.  Ladybug was standing over him, bringing her leg down from a furious kick that had sent Intimidator flying into a subway entrance.  His throat burned, as if he had been crying – or maybe screaming.  He could hear the akumatized victim bouncing down the escalator as Ladybug turned to him. 

“Chat?  Are you back?”  Her blue eyes were huge with concern. 

“I…yeah.  I’m here.”  Chat told her automatically, though he could feel himself trembling.  “He somehow made me recall one of the worst days of my life as if I was there…now.”

Ladybug offered him a hand up.  He accepted it and was quickly on his feet.  Chat looked towards the Metro entrance.  “I bet he can only do that… to one of us at a time.”

“Together, then.”  Ladybug raced for the entrance.  A silent Chat followed her.

MARINETTE

Ladybug led the way as the two of them raced down into the entry.  _Whatever memory Intimidator used on Chat left him a screaming, sobbing wreck in mere moments.  I wonder what it was._

_Focus, Mari.  There’s an akuma down here._

She rounded a corner, raced past a janitor’s closet, but then heard it swing open behind her.  Chat slammed into the door at full speed, the crash sending rolling echoes up and down the corridor.  As she whirled around she watched in horror as Intimidator stepped out of the closet and clobbered Chat as hard as he could, sending the black jacketed superhero hurtling away back towards the entry.  She wheeled to the attack – but Intimidator’s gaze slid to her. 

“He cannot help you…and you are **helpless**.”  The yellow eyes burned.

_Must resist-_

Marinette blinked as she was waiting at her locker, boxed and gift-wrapped blue scarf in hand.  Today was the day.  She was going to give this pretty hand-made scarf to Adrien, and tell him how she felt!  Alya and Nino had been really supportive, and were standing together nearby to watch her do it.  And now she could see him coming.

“Ok, ok, ok, I can do this.”  Marinette walked up to Adrien.  He turned to look at her, a slight smile on his face. 

“Um…I…I…Happy b-b- birthday, Adrien!” she squeaked. 

“Oh, thanks, Marinette.”  Adrien replied.  “What’s the box?”

“It’s…it’s…a gift I m-m-made for you.”  She stuttered back.

“Oh.”  He held out a hand.  “I… thank you.  I’ve got to get to class now, but I’ll look at it later.”

“Oh.  Right.  Well... see you later!”  Marintette squeaked as Adrien left _.  Not again_.

She was about to head off to her class as well except one last movement from Adrien caught her eye.

He had just dumped her gift into a trash bin.

He clearly didn’t care.

No.

This wasn’t right.

He did care.

But he dumped the gift.

He didn’t care.

There was nothing she could do.

This wasn’t -

“My Lady!” yelled Chat.

Ladybug opened her eyes.  Chat was wrestling with Intimidator just a few feet away as she lay against the Metro wall, her whole body shaking, and her face damp with tears, throat raw from crying. 

“It is useless to resist.” growled the huge akuma.  “I always win.”

“You hurt Ladybug.” snarled Chat.  “So prepare to be beat.”

Intimidator snarled in return and grabbed Chat by the throat.  Chat struggled as Ladybug fought to rise, feeling her strength return as the false memory Intimidator had inflicted on her wore off.  Intimidator glanced at her, hissed, and threw Chat bodily at her.  She tried to dodge but at that range there was no way to avoid the throw, and Chat slammed into her, hard.  They bounced down the corridor together, ending the tumble with Chat lying atop Ladybug in a very untidy pile. 

Ladybug blinked a few times to clear the last few tears from her eyes, then looked up – directly into a pair of shimmering summer green eyes inches above her face. 

Chat blinked once at her.  “Are you OK, My Lady?”

Ladybug could only stare, recalling another set of green eyes she had once ended up in this exact position with, during The Gamer’s attack.  Both sets of eyes, Adrien’s then, and Chat’s now, bore the exact same look of deep concern.

“Ladybug?”  Chat’s eyes got even greener and more concerned, if that were possible. 

“I’m fine, Chat.  He inflicted a false memory on me.”  _A really, really harsh one._

Relief flooded his eyes.  “I’m glad you’re OK.”

Ladybug looked down; realizing Chat was crouched pretty much entirely over her.  She felt a blush creep over her.  “Uh, Chat…Intimidator is still back there.”

“What?  Oh, right.”  Chat pulled away, glanced back, and then crouched down to offer her a hand up. "He's gone, it seems."

She accepted the offered hand and shortly both were standing, looking at the supply closet Intimidator had ambushed them from.  There was no sign of the akumatized boy. 

“I think his gaze makes you live through one of your greatest fears.” Ladybug told her partner. 

“That would explain why my memory was real, but yours false.”  Chat agreed.  “How do you want to approach this?”

“I think we need some magical help.”  Ladybug threw her hand in the air.  **“Lucky Charm!”**

A red hand mirror, dotted with black spots, popped into existence and fell into Ladybug’s grip.

“I don’t think this is a good time for us to prepare for a photo-shoot.” Joked Chat.

Ladybug stared at the mirror for a moment, but then brightened.  “I think I get it.  Let’s find this akuma – we have less than five minutes.”

They bounded down two more flights of stairs, listening to the steady beeps that announced that Ladybug was running out of time, before they found themselves at the Metro platform.  A subway train sat there, but it had clearly been sabotaged.  Every door was crushed so they would not open – all but one.  Behind that one, the huge figure of the Intimidator could be just made out in the dim light. 

“He’s trying to force us to attack him from one direction, probably hoping his gaze will stop one while his strength handles the other.” Ladybug told her partner.  “You need to get behind him.”

“No problem, LB.”  Chat grinned.  **“Cataclysm!”**

Chat bounded the length of the car Intimidator was in, running to the farthest door.  No mere door was any match for a Cataclysm and moments later Chat was inside.  Intimidator wheeled to face him as Ladybug sprinted in through the undamaged door.  Intimidator’s huge fists slammed down, just missing a scrambling Chat as Ladybug got up to her target.  She took a swipe at the ballcap but missed as the huge figure whirled around to face her.  Chat tried to pounce in turn but a huge fist caught him mid-leap as the burning gaze settled on Ladybug.

Intimidator smiled cruelly.  “Your partner is no match for my might, Ladybug and you are-“

Ladybug whipped the hand mirror up in front of her face, shiny side facing Intimidator.

“- **helpless**.” Intimidator was now staring at his own reflection.  For a long moment he stood there, staring.  Then he sobbed.  His eyes began to stream tears, and he began to bawl like a huge, red-skinned baby.

“Chat.” Ladybug pointed at the ballcap.  Chat nodded and stood up from where the heavy blow had left him sprawled over several seats. 

Chat, wordlessly, grabbed the cap, then exchanged items with Ladybug so he could keep the mirror – and Intimidator’s gaze – properly lined up so he could not break free.  Ladybug tore the ballcap in half.  A purple-black butterfly flew out, and raced for the exit. 

“No more evil-doing for you, little akuma.”  The yo-yo leaped into Ladybug’s hand, and with a quick twirl it snagged the akuma.  Seconds later she gave the yo-yo a twist and a white butterfly fluttered out of it.

“Bye-bye little butterfly.”  Ladybug looked over at her partner.  “Make sure your  back is to Intimidator before I give this a throw.  No point in risking that gaze again.”

“Of course.”  Chat replied.  He handed her the mirror, quickly turning his back on Intimidator, who gasped as he was released from the power of his own gaze.  Ladybug threw the mirror into the air.

“ **Miraculous Ladybug!** ”  The mirror turned into thousands of pink, sparkly ladybugs, which raced everywhere, returning Paris to normal. 

Ladybug grinned as she glanced around.  _Another bit of good work done_.  She looked over at her partner, and saw a matching smile on his face.  He offered her his fist.

Ladybug raised her own fist, and the two bumped them together.  “Pound it!”  The two then looked over at where Intimidator had been standing. 

A thirteen year old boy in torn jeans and a black Jagged Stone t-shirt is standing there, looking confused.  His gaze fell onto the two heroes and he paled.  “Oh, no… was I…?” he trailed off.

“You were.” Ladybug told him as kindly as she could.  “It’s not your fault.  He’s taking advantage of people.”

“Did I hurt anyone?”  the boy asked.

“No-one is bleeding.” Chat told him, with his best model smile.  _But the Cure does not fix mental wounds,_ Ladybug knew.

“I…guess that’s good.”  The boy looked around.  “We’re in the Metro.  Which station?”

“Pigalle.” Chat told him.

“I’m near home then.  I’ll get myself there.  I…thank you.”  The boy, a bit unsteadily, trotted away. 

Chat turned to Ladybug, no doubt to deliver some cheesy pun when her Miraculous sounded off again.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

“I have less than two minutes, Chat.  I need to go.”  Ladybug raced away up the stairs, hearing her partner following her up – _unsurprising, since this is the nearest exit_. 

“I wish…” he started, then trailed off.

They were nearly to the top, but Ladybug stopped and turned back to look at her partner. “I know.” She said back.  “I’m going home to talk to my parents – tell them I had a bad dream - and tomorrow I am getting a hug from my friends.  That one was bad.”

“Yeah.” Chat agreed as he came to a halt a few steps below her, and he sounded so _sad_.

Ladybug paused, then walked back to him.  He gave her a look of pure misery. _His memory was not a false one._ Ladybug recalled.

“My poor kitty.”  Ladybug gave him a hug.  Chat returned it, holding it for a long moment.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

“One minute, Chaton.  Good night.  See you at patrol and practice in two days.”

“Good night…Ladybug.”

JEREMY

Jeremy crouched atop a spire overlooking Place Pigalle, watching as first Ladybug, and then Chat left the Metro station, each racing for a separate alley. One of Weasel's drones hovered next to him. _Battle mostly took place underground, where I could not follow without getting involved. Oh well._

"I could-" Weasels' electronic voice crackled.

"No. Leave them their privacy." Eagle replied. He did not look at the drone - he had spotted a woman filming him from that direction and did not want to make it any easier for the horde of LadyBlog followers to identify him.

"It would be damned useful to know who they are, love. Both to protect them if it all goes wrong - and so we know where to send a plea for help if we get in trouble." Weasel's voice sounded both compassionate and determined despite the electronic masking.

"I cannot stop you if you choose to unmask them, but for God's sake, don't tell me if you choose to. It would ruin their trust if I blurted out their real names." Eagle grumped.

"If it bothers you... I won't do it." Weasel's voice was completely masked by the electronic static. Eagle shook his head.

_I don't believe that for a moment, and you know I don't and yet we will play this as if I do even as you do it. Because we are both right and we both know it._

"That's my Weasel." he smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow, those scenes to slam Adrien and Marinette with hurt to write. And this akuma is a weenie compared to some of the others I am plotting. 
> 
> A little LadyNoir for everyone as well. And a callback to an Adrienette moment. I know how shipping works.
> 
> And this chapter is about twice as big as I thought it would be (clocks in at eight and a half 8.5x11 pages). But I'm pretty pleased with it; this akuma took a lot of work to get more or less right. 
> 
> Next update is 2/17/17.


	11. Discoveries...and Hugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A villian and a vigilante make some discoveries. A group of friends meet in a park and swap hugs.

HAWKMOTH

“Damn you, Ladybug and Chat Noir.  One of these days you will slip up, and when you do… I’ll have your Miraculous at last.”  Hawkmoth gestured angrily at the window, and the automatic machinery took that as the signal to seal the window.  The soft ‘whirr’ of closure ended with a solid ‘click.’  For a moment it was dark – then the light came up automatically, as he had set them to. 

The man the world knew as Hawkmoth stood in the middle of the room, now de-transformed.  He gestured at a nearby half-circle of tables, where an iced jug of honey-laced tea sat, a tall straw sticking out of the top.  ‘Nooroo… refresh yourself.  I have some things to look into.”  Without looking to see if he was obeyed, Hawkmoth strode with a determined gait to a particular table, where old books and sheafs of paper sat in neat stacks.  At one end sat a laptop, and before it the grand chair of ancient Slavic design, clearly modeled for some Czar’s court.  Without even a glance at the deeply carved wood and worn gilding, Hawkmoth sat and tapped a few keys on the laptop.  After a moment he made a small noise of satisfaction as the Ladyblog popped up on his screen.  A few more keystrokes and he had found what he was looking for – a recording from the Jungle Man akuma.

“…Viewers, anyone have any ideas of who this guy is?” Alya’s voice rang from the laptop, the voice filling the silent interior of Hawkmoth’s lair like a gong.  “I wonder what he is doing? “

Hawkmoth jabbed a key on the laptop, and Alya’s voice cut off into jarring silence. For a long several seconds he studied the shimmering gold figure on the screen. Abruptly, he stood and walked partway around the table, stopping at a particular stack of books.  He paused, considering his options, and then carefully slid one out of the stack.  He strode back to the worn Slavic chair, then sat and began leafing through it. 

Nooroo, halfway through drinking the jug of tea, watched this whole sequence in silence.  Now he drifted over to hover above Hawkmoth to see what he was looking at.  Hawkmoth did not even look up but he knew when the Kwami stopped above his head.  A Kwami and its Master were linked.

“The Book of the Lynx, Nooroo.  A Power Stone wielder known as the Keeper of Secrets.”  Hawkmoth continued to flip through the book.  “The Stone of the Lynx is gone, but the book remains – and the Lynx’s obsession with secrets means this book has more knowledge on the Miraculous and the Power Stones than any other.” 

Nooroo did not comment, but continued to hover, looking sad.

Hawkmoth continued to flip, then stopped.  “Ah.  Here we are. “Hawkmoth murmured. “  Golden Eagle, of Roman origin, 2nd Century BC, somewhere in southern Italy… Honor and Vengeance.  Combat oriented Power Stone, able to create a force shield and force weapons of the owner’s desire.  Moderate to strong stone, depending upon the mental state and dedication level of the owner.  Often over-commits in battle, no known ranged attacks.  Extremely dangerous in close quarters.  Observed owners tend to try diplomacy first, then combat.  If made angry the Vengeance trait triggers and the owner’s power level increases but rarely has much control.    Immune to normal weapons when transformed, most vulnerable to magical ranged attacks.”  Hawkmoth then continued to read in silence for a few more minutes, seeking more information, and then carefully closed the book.

Hawkmoth stood, the action so abrupt Nooroo started.   Hawkmoth ignored the hapless Kwami, walking back to the stack he had pulled the book from and putting it carefully back into place.  He then turned to the tiny deity and gestured.  “Come, Nooroo.  Hide in my jacket.  I must rest for I have another busy day tomorrow.” 

Nooroo gave a small sigh and flew up into one of the inner pockets of the cold man’s jacket, vanishing from sight.  Hawkmoth turned and strode out of the room, a single swift gesture turning off the lights before a steel door slid silently shut, the lock ‘snicking’ into place as the room again fell into a dark silence behind the villain.

NINO

Nino was sitting on a park bench overlooking the pond in the corner of the Parc Monceau, waiting patiently – as usual – for Marinette and – somewhat more unusually – for Adrien.  He had his right arm draped over the hunched shoulders of Alya, who was focused on her phone.  While his eyes roamed the park, seeking his missing friends, one ear was kept firmly tuned to Alya.

 “Another akuma attack last night, this time at two in the morning, Nino.  I totally missed it.  The LadyBlog faithful are going to start questioning my commitment if I keep this up.”  Alya was complaining, of course, though Nino could see that eyewitnesses of the attack at Metro Pigalle had left her a lot of recordings of the brief battle on the street, and even a few of the two heroes leaving after they defeated the akuma underground. 

“I doubt that, babe.  The fact that you not only run the blog but are updating it daily should keep them happy.  And let’s be honest:  two.  in. the. morning.  What was Hawkmoth even doing up that late?  He’s probably some old dude, needs his beauty rest.”  Nino gave her far shoulder squeeze, then continued.  “I don’t like to be up at two in the morning unless I’m DJing, and even then I’m starting to think fondly of bed.”

“I know, Nino, I know.  It’s…just the principle of the thing.”  Alya shook her head.  “I far prefer to catch the action myself.  I don’t like feeling behind the curve.”

Nino gave her another reassuring squeeze, and then spotted a rapidly approaching figure – one with a pair of blue-black pigtails.  “Hmm… I spy, with my little eyes, a Mari.”

Alya glanced up, spotted Marinette instantly, glanced back down at her phone, then back up at Nino.  “Only seven minutes behind.  Almost worth noting in the record books.”

“It is unusual she gets here before Adrien.”  Nino shook his head fondly as Marinette got closer.  “Hey, she’s got a bakery bag from her parent’s place.  What do you think she has in-“

“Nino.”  Alya’s voice interrupted.  “Look at her.  Something’s off.”

Nino looked again.  _Alya’s right.  Bags under her eyes, slightly puffy face, and…tear tracks in her mascara?_

“If Agreste has anything to do with this-“ Alya growled.

Nino tightened his grip on her shoulder again, stopping her.  “Easy, babe.  Get the story, then get mad.”

Marinette came up to them a moment later.  “Hi, guys, sorry I’m late, I-“

“Don’t worry about it, girl, but what’s happened to you?  You look _awful_. “  Alya was nearly managing to keep her nascent anger out of her voice, but the delivery was still on the fierce side.

_I do have to admit I rather like her even when she’s being this intense._

“I didn’t sleep well last night.”  Marinette explained.  “I had a terrible dream, and it kept me up most of last night.  I told Mamam and Papa about it this morning – that’s why I’m late.”  She held out the bakery bag.  “I brought macaroons as an apology.”

“Apology most definitely accepted.” Nino almost snagged the bag out of her hand, but managed to restrain himself to a more dignified retrieval. 

“Can you tell us about your dream, Mari?” Alya asked.  “Wait, let me guess – Adrien.”

Mari simply nodded.

“Silly Mari.”  Alya gave her a hug.  “I know you’ll find the nerve to talk to him one of these days.”

Nino glanced around and saw a certain green-eyed blonde approaching.  “Speak of the devil, Alya, and he comes.”

Alya gave Mari a fierce smile, then let her go.  “We’ll talk more on this later, girl.”

Nino waved at Adrien as he came up.  “Hey, bro!  How is it going?”  _Huh, he looks beat as hell too._

“Tiredly.” Adrien replied as he joined the little circle of friends. 

“You too, man?  Mari was telling us she was kept up last night by a nightmare.”  Nino informed him.

“I found myself thinking about my Mom and how she just…vanished.   Normally I can keep it sort of in the back of my mind but last night… well, it rather dominated my brain for some reason.  So not much sleep.”  Adrien shook his head at the memory, then crashed tiredly into a sitting position on the end of a park bench. 

Nino barely had to glance at Alya to know what she wanted.  The two of them sat on the opposite end of the same bench – leaving a perfectly Marinette sized hole on the bench next to Adrien.  Nino could see Mari gulp and maybe grow a little pale, but a head-bob from Alya and a smile from him had her sitting next to her crush – nervously and tentatively, perhaps, but she was there. 

The next hour was spent on the bench, talking about everything and nothing before the topic of the dreams were broached again.  Both were reluctant to go into details – _I figure Adrien just doesn’t like to remember, and Mari is probably too embarrassed with Adrien right there_ –but by the end of the hour Nino knew he had given them each one more hug, Alya had given them each two and they had even gotten Mari to give Adrien a hug as well.  A shy, tentative hug, but a hug all the same. 

When they finally adjourned to do their various activities that needed doing – a photo-shoot for Adrien, LadyBlog updates for Alya, work at the Bakery for Mari, and prep for some DJ work tonight for Nino, he was pleased to note an important detail.

 _Our two tired friends look much better._   _Mari and Adrien are smiling again._

AMANDA

Amanda Davis, oft called ‘Weasel’ due to her work as a vigilante sidekick to an actual, bona fide superhero, was busy flipping through various windows on her laptop.  Each window was a sorting program, busy mapping every bit of data – video, audio, photographical, and written – that had been posted about the Duo Miraculous in the past year.   And there were gigabytes of it.

_Somewhere is this huge mess, is the information I need to locate not only the Duo but also Hawkmoth.  He creates all the akuma, so there must be a pattern I can find and analyze that will lead us to him.  A supervillain is still a criminal, and can act just as predictably as any serial killer._

Sadly, the data was still being assembled by her laptop, and showed no signs of being anywhere near ready for her to tackle.  Amanda gave a heavy sigh, and rolled her wheelchair over to another table in the luxurious suite she and Jeremy shared.  On this one was a far more robust-looking machine – a state of the art machine that she used as her drone control center.  She turned on the monitor and began reviewing the images of the Intimidator battle she had gotten with the spy drone she had managed to slip into the Metro during the battle.

She watched the battle unfold between the Duo and Intimidator at very high speed, seeking anything that might tell her more about them or the akuma.

Nothing seemed unusual.

She froze the video at the moment where the akuma was trying to escape, and Ladybug was about to yo-yo it.  It was a scene that had happened several score times now in Paris.

“There’s got to be *something* I can use here.”  Amanda murmured.  “Let’s try…” 

She started flipping up visual filters onto the video. 

Infrared.  Intimidator and the Duo stood out glowing with their body heat, but the akuma vanished.  And none of them looked at all exceptional.  _Next_.

X-Ray.  Three skeletons stood in a metal framework.  No akuma.  _Next_.

Ultraviolet.  She could dimly make out the scene, but nothing unusual.  _Next_.

Visual light filters made the scene look funny, but revealed no secrets.

Then, on a whim, she flipped up super-high frequency radiation.

The train car vanished, as did most of the scene's details, but the figures of LadyBug and Chat Noir were noticeable, while Intimidator was but a vague shadow.  But the akuma resembled a butterfly shaped, brightly shining star.  Only the glowing seam that marked where Ladybug’s yo-yo opened, plus Chat’s ring and Ladybug’s earrings, rivaled the brilliant butterfly. 

Amanda stopped to stare at the scene.  _Akuma glow at super high energy frequencies.  That means…with the right gear, I can track them._

_More importantly, I can back-track them.  Straight to Hawkmoth._

Amanda wheeled back away from the desktop computer, and rolled herself to her purse.  She reached in and snatched out a credit card, one with a bit of red tape on it.  _I need some very expensive gear, I need a good deal of it, and I need it a month ago.  Hopefully I can get enough sensors to cover enough of Paris to backtrack these things straight back to their master, and then –_

_Well._

_Then we’ll see if the Duo would like another pair of heroes butting in on their battle._

She rolled over to her data-collating laptop, made it pause in its work, and began looking up where she could get the needed astrological sensors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember kids, advanced enough technology closely resembles magic! Or maybe advanced enough tech taps into magic... we may never know.
> 
> I really wanted to do more with the park scene but the darn thing just would not flow whenever I tried to expand it. 
> 
> These three scenes were originally part of the previous chapter, and the next two chapters. But some changes in the story-line for logical and flow purposes displaced them...but they grouped nicely into a chapter of their own. 
> 
> Next chapter will be published 2/24/17.


	12. Dragonstrike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That's a really, really, big akuma. And Hawkmoth is getting a little bit frustrated.

ADRIEN

Adrien is sitting in his cavernous, well-appointed bedroom, working on one of his final projects for his first year in public school, when his phone buzzes.

_I bet its Nino, panicking about this Physics homework.  He’s so much smarter than he thinks – Alya wouldn’t hang with him otherwise – but sometimes he’s just gotta apply himself a little more.  Let’s see what’s up._

When he picked up the phone, though, he saw it was a LadyBlog update _.  An update at four in the afternoon?  Hopefully it’s just Ladybug, rescuing some cat in a tree.  No problem too small for my Lady._

Adrien brought up the Ladyblog update.  AKUMA ATTACK AT THE SQUARE HENRI CADIOU, it blared.  _Ladybug is going to be rescuing a cat all right, it’s just going to be me.  At least I get to see her._

“Plagg!” Adrien called softly, so the house staff would not hear him.

“What, kid?” came Plagg’s sleepy voice from near the main window. 

“Akuma.  Make sure you’re not tangled up in anything.”  Adrien walked over as his Kwami shook himself loose from a T-shirt that he had dragged there from Adrien’s closet.

“I was enjoying a nice sunny catnap.” Grumbled the black spirit.  “Another reason to put a stop to Hawkmoth.”

Adrien grinned, double checked Plagg was clear, and then dropped into a crouch.  **“Plagg, transform me!”**

One brilliant green flash later Chat Noir was ready to go.  One quick window unlatching and he was off over the rooftops of Paris, headed for the southeast side of the city for another battle with Hawkmoth’s victim.

Three minutes later, Chat was crouched atop the Église Saint-Sulpice staring out towards where the Square Henri Cadou should have been.  _Something tells me it and several surrounding blocks are not really there anymore._

_It’s all on fire._

Sure enough, a maze of flames erupted from the area, smoke filling the air and drifting away on the southwesterly breeze.  Through the smoke flew the enormous figure of the akuma: a western dragon, its scaly hide the red-black color of clotted blood, with yellow horns erupting from its skull above it black, featureless eyes.  More yellow spikes erupted from its back, while dark red claws tipped each toe.  The whole creature was nearly one hundred feet long, including its long neck and tail, and the wings looked to stretch almost sixty feet from tip to tip.  A piece of orange fabric could be seen fluttering from atop the largest spine on its back, nearly dead center to the whole creature.  Even as Chat watched the huge creature raked another building with a cone of flame that poured from its mouth, setting it aflame while panicking citizens fled in all directions from the terrifying sight.

_Hawkmoth has upped his game.  I’d better get in there and try and distract it so the citizens can escape._

Chat pole-vaulted off the top of the church towards the huge beast, and managed to catch the end of the dragon’s tail.  The huge akuma gave a rumble of surprise, and glanced back, its blank eyes managing to project annoyance.  Chat began to clamber up the spines towards the creature’s back.

“No, I don’t think so.” Growled the dragon, and pulled a hard stop in midair, swinging its tail into the burning façade of a restaurant there.  Chat found himself being smashed bodily through the steel and concrete structure, and despite his claws was dislodged.  He rolled to his feet in the midst of the burning wreckage, four stories above the street.  In front of him the dragon hovered, beating it’s wings to hold itself in place, leering down at him with the confidence of every akumatized victim.

“Run while you can, little cat.  For I am Dragonstrike, and I say this city is due for a little cleansing.”  The creature’s voice rolled over him like a huge bell tolling, but discordant and jarring. 

_The heat isn’t burning me, but it feels hard to breathe…not enough air!  I gotta get clear._

Chat saluted the dragon.  “I thank you for the warning, but I’m not about to let you terrorize my city!  What’s your problem with Paris anyway?”  He vaulted clear as part of the building collapsed, managing to find a new perch on a hospital across the street.  _It’s not burning yet, but that might change in hurry._

“They don’t understand the beauty and purity of fire!” roared the dragon.  “The city fears it, and refuses to see it for what it truly is!  LET ME SHOW YOU!”  The dragon pumped his wings mightily, gaining altitude, then rushed down upon the burning blocks, swinging his wings over the inferno.  Fire whirls exploded upwards in his wake, the twisting whorls of flame dancing amongst the smoke for long seconds as the dragon streaked overhead.  Chat could only gape at the spectacle.  _Beautiful yes, but horrible!  Everything is going up in smoke!  At least he’s not setting even more stuff on fire._ For almost a minute Chat watched as the akuma raised scorching whirls out of the burning blocks of the city.

“I see I’ve missed quite a bit.” Ladybug’s voice was sweet music to Chat as she landed a short distance away on the same hospital roof. 

“I’m thinking we can’t afford to let this battle _drag-on_ , My Lady.  He will burn our _treasured_ city to the ground.”  Chat managed a grin for his Lady, who even then was rolling her eyes.

“This is really serious, Chat.  People are likely trapped in that blazing mess.”

“I know, but at least he’s not spreading it further, yet.”  Chat frowned.  “Odd, he didn’t demand my Miraculous.  Also, the suits do not provide air – try not to get caught in a burning building.”

“Any idea where the akuma might be?”   Ladybug inquired, watching the dragon swoop over the burning wreckage again, rolling onto his back in the rising heat. 

“I got a quick look while I was clinging to his tail – there’s a jail inmate uniform on a spine of his back.  It looks undamaged despite having a spine through it.  I bet that’s it.”  Chat said.

“You clung to his – never mind.  We need to keep him near the part of the city he’s already damaged, I don’t want him lighting half the city on fire while we fight him.”  Ladybug told Chat.

“No problem LB.  I’ll go annoy him, you get the uniform, as usual?”

“Yes.  Be careful, Chat.”  She looked back over at the akuma, who had landed atop the burning hulk of Maison d'arrêt de la Santé prison.  “This is the biggest akuma we’ve yet faced.”

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall, LB!”  Chat darted off towards the dragon, and soon was dodging over crumbling, flaming rooftop as he neared where the huge beast was perched.  Behind him he could hear Ladybug roughly paralleling his course. 

The akuma’s black eyes shifted directly onto them.  “Magnificent, isn’t it, Cat of Destruction?”

“Only if you like watching people’s homes and jobs going up in flames.” Chat retorted. 

“Just another blind prole, then.”  Abruptly the purplish light-mask, shaped like a butterfly, appeared over Dragonstrike’s face.  Hawkmoth had something to say to his victim. 

The dragon listened intently for a moment, and then laughed – the noise deep, rumbling, and jarring.  “I’m not your errand boy, Hawkmoth.  Just an opportunist like you and you’ve given me what I want – freedom, immunity to the law, and all the fire I could ever want.  But if you want their bits of jewelry so bad, fine.  You can retrieve them yourself – from their burned corpses!”  The huge head reared back, and as the jaws gaped Chat could see a rising glow in the back of the dragon’s throat.

“SCATTER!” both of the Duo yelled at the same time, and Chat threw himself off the roof and onto a window ledge on the far side of the street.  Not even thinking about it, he slalomed up and down the levels, using the sills as hand and footholds, avoiding the sills with various flowerpots and bird-boxes while he sought to dodge the roaring column of flame Dragonstrike is trying to immerse him in. 

Moment later the wall ran out, but Chat was able to vault across the open space to a large ledge on the next building, where he wheeled  right – and found himself at eye level with the huge akuma.  The dragon was no longer gouting flame, but the mouth gaped open again as the huge neck coiled back, preparing the next strike.

“I was hoping defeating you would be a quick _snap_!” Chat called out as he dove for the street, just staying ahead of the huge head as the jaws slammed shut just behind his tail.  He rolled to a stop next to the wall, then had to dive away again as the huge creature threw itself off the roof.  He manages to get just out of reach yet again as the massive body slammed down, shattering pavement, sidewalk, and wall alike with the force of the impact.  Bits of burning debris showered down from the damaged building Chat had just escaped off of. Chat rose to his feet, and smiled at the sight of Ladybug dropping off the prison roof towards Dragonstrike’s back, giving him hope this one would be over soon.

The akuma didn’t even look back, but abruptly his tail whipped up to intercept Ladybug.  She cried out in shock as the massive appendage hurtled towards her, and only a quick throw of her yo-yo pulled her out of harm’s way as the spiky limb shot by. 

Dragonstrike raised both wings and launched himself skyward as Ladybug caught herself on the wall Chat had been wall-dancing on just moments prior, and the thunderous beat of his wings stirred up the flaring embers all along the street, causing flames to roar out of multiple windows and from debris-filled corners. 

“LB!  We gotta disable his wings!  If he gets airborne again we’ll never catch him!”  Chat called up, coughing as smoke swirled through the street. 

He saw Ladybug nod, then throw her arm in the air – and nothing happened.  Instead Ladybug doubled over, coughing. 

 _The smoke is even worse up there!_   _She can’t talk to summon the magic!_ “I’m coming My Lady!”  Chat used his staff to vault up towards her, and landed on the same tiny ledge, his arms wrapping around her as she continued to gasp and cough.

“I got you!” Chat glanced up to see what Dragonstrike was doing – and saw the huge akuma diving at them, jaws gaping, the ominous glow in his throat again. 

There was only one thing Chat could do.

Still clutching Ladybug, he jumped.

“Ladybug, yo-yo!”  he cried out, then coughed himself – the air here was really bad.

She said nothing, just continued to cough – but the whizz of the yo-yo was music to his ears.  A moment  later they were swinging upwards away from the street, while behind them their brief landing pad was engulfed first in flame, then buried by the mass of the dragon.  The building groaned, throwing sparks, smoke, and flame, before collapsing atop the dragon with a monstrous roar. 

They landed back on top of the hospital again, where they both sat, Ladybug still firmly inside Chat’s protective embrace, coughing out the smoke and breathing in cleaner air.  After a minute, both found breathing easier and they both looked up – and realized the clinch they were in as they stared into each other’s eyes, just a couple of inches away.

“This is not precisely how I wanted to find myself snuggling with you.” Chat grinned.

Ladybug huffed and pushed Chat away.  “Not the time, Chat.”  She looked over at the collapsed, flaming ruins where Dragonstrike had crash-landed.  “Did that stop him?”

Flaming debris exploded up from the wrecked building, and Dragonstrike burst free of the wreckage, looking none the worse for wear.  “A fine dodge, you two.  Let’s see how long you can keep it up.”  He pumped his wings and was quickly climbing back into the smoke-filled sky.

“I’d say…no, it did not.”  Chat grumbled.  “But at least your voice is back.  We need some good luck to beat this one.”

"I agree.”  Ladybug again threw her hand in the air, and this time managed the magic words.  “ **Lucky Charm**!”

A spool of red and black fishing line dropped into her grip, complete with hook.

“A fishing line with no rod?” Chat inquired.  “We’ve had some weird items in the past, My Lady, but this one is the fishiest yet.”

Ladybug nodded distractedly, glancing around.  _She’s using her Lucky Vision, so soon we’ll have a foolproof plan._

“Chat,” she suddenly said, “I see what we need to do.  I need you to tie the loose end of this around a primary structural beam of that building.”  She pointed at a nearby, undamaged stonework building.  “Then come back.”

“The Paris Observatory?”  OK, my Lady.”  Chat grabbed the coiled end of the line and raced for the distinctive building.  But when he got there he realized he could not get inside – the place was built like a fortress.

A mundane fortress, though.  Chat gestured sharply with his right hand.  “ **Cataclysm**!”  Now with the black, radiant energy of destruction surrounding one hand, Chat knew no  mere obstacle would stand up to him.  He slapped the outer wall, and a huge piece disintegrated, giving Chat easy access – and moments later he was tying the line around the biggest, thickest column he could find.  “It’s ready, LB!”

There was no response, so Chat raced back to the hole he had torn in the outer wall.  Outside, he could see Dragonstrike wheeling around on the ground of the Observatory lawn, red claws slashing at Ladybug as she raced around him, spool of fishing line still in hand – but the line was zipping off now, as the hook was latched onto one of his dorsal spikes.  The red and black line was already wound around the huge akuma once, and his constant rotation was getting him even more tangled as he chased the elusive target.

_She won’t use her yo-yo to escape, it might tangle with the fishing line.  How can I help her?_

Then Dragonstrike stopped, snarling with frustration, drew back his head, and again opened his jaws.  Even from the side where he was, Chat could see the glow of the dragon’s gathering firey breath.

“Look out!”  Chat hurled himself at the dragon’s head.  Dragonstrike was so focused on Ladybug he didn’t even notice the approaching Chat projectile until he slammed into the side of his snout – spoiling the aim of the akuma’s flaming breath, which burned a huge swath of the garden around the Observatory to flaming ruin but left Ladybug skipping, unharmed, out of reach, fishing line continuing to unspool from her hands.

“Bad dragon!  No frying Ladybug!” Chat clung to the horn over Dragonstrike’s right eye, then began hammering on the akuma’s snout with his staff.

The huge jaws grimaced at each blow, but the akuma seemed otherwise unimpressed.  “Guess I will have to be satisfied with simply crushing you, then.” rumbled the dragon.  The head raised up higher, then Chat found himself racing towards a scorched section of sidewalk as the head descended – Chat side first.

Chat launched himself clear, rolling up to his feet as the red fishing line zipped by over his head as Ladybug continued to circle the dragon.  He looked back where Dragonstrike was raising his undamaged head out of the shattered crater he had left in the sidewalk.  “A crushing performance!” Chat called out.  _I’ve got to keep his attention off LB and what she is up to._ He gave his best fighting pose toward the dragon, claws forward.  “Perhaps you’d do better in claw to claw combat?”

BEEP BEEP BEEP

_Geeze, not much time left.  Ladybug’s got maybe three minutes, I’ve got four._

Dragonstrike gave him a very toothy smile.  “You’d do better to run while you can, for shortly you’ll just be a normal person again – and I will still be a dragon.”

Behind Dragonsrike, Ladybug waved at Chat - revealing her spool of fishing line was empty.  The trap was in place. 

Chat gave back his own toothy smile.  “I’m thinking your chances have all been _extinguished_.”

The akuma rolled his shoulders in a huge shrug.  “Have it your way.”  Then he lunged at Chat.

It was very, very hard to not race away as the huge bulk zoomed towards him, the massive teeth opening to engulf him.  But Chat trusted both Ladybug and his instincts, and the dragon’s jaws slammed shut just in front of him as the line caught and pulled taut, fully entangling the dragon.

“WHAT?!” bellowed Dragonstrike.  He twisted his head around to look behind him, and suddenly seemed to realize the fishing line was there.  “Impossible!  Nothing can handle the strength of a dragon!”

“Magic fishing line, scaly.” Chat vaulted onto the dragon’s back, then began picking his way through the dorsal spines towards the prison uniform.  He could see Ladybug racing along the side of the entangled dragon.  Three of the dragon’s four legs, and both wings were pinned to his body by the slender red and black line.

The dragon’s head was still mobile on the end of his long neck, and the thrashing tail could still do damage.  The tail swatted futilely as Ladybug, who zigged and zagged around each blow.  Chat was almost to the critical dorsal spine now.

Abruptly the huge head swung towards the Observatory.  “The line might be magical, but what it is attached to is not.”  Dragonstrike snarled.  Again the flaming breath roared out, and a cone of flame flew into the hole Chat had opened in the wall of the Observatory.  A moment later nearly every window on the lower floor exploded outward as the dragon’s breath began to melt the building from the inside.

Chat clambered up the spine, and reached the prison uniform.  He didn’t even bother to pull it off – he just tore the uniform with his claws.  A purple-back butterfly fluttered out, and promptly dove to try and hide behind the dragon – but it had not gotten even a full meter before a red yo-yo snagged it.

“No more evil-doing for you, little akuma!”  Ladybug called out.  A moment later, she went to open her yo-yo – and Dragonstrike tried one final attack, using his one free leg to roll his whole body towards Ladybug, who was standing right next to his flank.  Chat lost sight her as the roll also threw him towards the flaming ruin of the Observatory.

“LADYBUG!” he yelled out, just before he crashed into the shattered remains of a window.  He found himself lying on his side in a room filled with flames, the details of the room lost in the dark smoke the flames were generating.  Coughing and gasping, Chat tried to do a turn towards where he thought the window was, then began crawling forward.  He soon found himself crawled into a corner instead.  _It’s getting really hard to breathe, I can’t see, and yet I gotta get out – Ladybug needs me!_

And then, abruptly, pink sparkly ladybugs raced by.  The flames and smoke vanished.  Everything righted itself.  Chat found himself tucked into a corner of a waiting room of some kind, arranged with couches and reading materiel for visitors to amuse themselves with while they waited for whomever they were there to see. The window he had entered in – now intact – was just a few feet away, and yet he had been unable to see it. 

All of this was just a minor detail.  _Ladybug’s managed to cast the Miraculous Cure, she must be OK.  Still, I’ll feel better when I see her myself._

Chat headed over to the window, unlatched it, and climbed out.  Ladybug was outside, standing over a very confused looking man in his forties who was wearing a prison uniform. Weirdly, he was also already handcuffed.  He seemed to be gaining his composure as Chat came up next to Ladybug.  His gaze narrowed. 

“Superheroes.” He growled.  “At least I can claim to have been caught by the best.”

“But you’d rather never have been caught at all.”  Chat looked at him.  “What are you in for?”

“The crime I was convicted of, is arson.”  The man looked almost proud of himself.  “They just don’t understand the purity of flame.”

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Ladybug gave Chat a small smile.  “I have one minute, Chat.  I must go.  The police are already here – trying to keep people away from this battle, I think – so he’ll be back in custody shortly.” 

He gave her a smile in return, and then offered her his fist.

She smiled more broadly, and punched his fist.  “Pound it!” They said in unison.  Then she was off like a shot, escaping before her identity was revealed.

Chat spotted Officer Rogers approaching, and waved him over.  “Officer, I need to go shortly – can you take him so I can go?  I think he’s from the prison near here.”

“Of course, Chat Noir.”  Officer Rogers grabbed the convict and hoisted him to his feet.  “Come on, sir, let’s find out where you belong.”

“I’m sure you’ll find out, pig.” growled the arsonist.  “I just wish I could recall what I became – or what I did today.”

JEREMY

Inside the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, Jeremy lowered the binoculars he had been observing the battle through. He laughed softly, then glanced down and the wheelchair bound woman he was standing behind in the crowded gallery.

"We were lucky that happened while we were up here to see it, Amanda." he commented. 

The woman lowered her own binoculars and smiled up at him. "Yes." She replied. 'It's nice to see things for yourself sometimes. I can understand why this Alya Cesaire pursues every attack with such passion."

"You just like how much data she has given you to work with." chucked Jeremy.

"Guilty as charged, officer. Why don't you take us back to our place so I can get to work on it?" Amanda's smile turned sly.

"Your wish is my command, beautiful." Jeremy tucked away their binoculars, grabbed the handles of her wheelchair, and they headed for the lifts down. 

HAWKMOTH

Hawkmoth snarled his frustration at the open window that looked out over Paris from his lair.  “You’ve got to burn through all your luck one of these days, Ladybug!  And on that day I will be victorious!”  Again he gestured at the window, and it purred shut, leaving him briefly in darkness.  When the lights came back up, he was again de-transformed into his civilian form.

He did not even glance at the worn Kwami who now floated next to him.  “Go drink your tea, Nooroo.” He commanded as he walked over to a small side table, one much more recently set up than the rest of the room.  A rock hammer and chisel sat neatly on one side, and a utilitarian chair fronted the table.  Atop it were several hunks of grey volcanic rock – but here and there something metallic glittered in each chunk of stone.  Hawkmoth stared at them for a moment, then nodded. 

Hawkmoth walked back over to the stack of books he had pulled the Book of the Lynx from.  He studied them again, and pulled another book out – one much thinner than the Lynx book, but with a very distinctive orange cover, lined in black.  He did not even have to look to know Nooroo was staring at him with concerned curiosity.

“The Book of the Monarch, the Power Stone known also as the Spellbinder, Nooroo.”  His cold eyes glared over at the Kwami.  “Dragonstrike’s anger was one of the strongest I’ve yet felt, and I put more energy into him than any before.  And yet Ladybug and Chat Noir were able to defeat him.  They are getting stronger, much faster now than they were before that Eagle character showed up.” 

Hawkmoth slammed a fist down onto the table, the crack of the impact making Nooroo start slightly.  “It is clear to me now, Nooroo, that no single akuma will ever be able to handle the Duo now.  They are simply too powerful.”

“So why not just give up?  Return the Miraculous you have to the Guardian and he may even forgive you.”  Nooroo pleaded, his eyes wide with desperation.

“No.”  Hawkmoth’s tone was now a flat anger.  “This Book will tell me how to augment the power of the Miraculous with external magical sources.  That will give me the power I need to overcome the Duo.”

He watched as Nooroo glanced over at the rock-strewn table.  He knew Nooroo could sense the power within each one.  And from the way Nooroo’s wings drooped, he knew Nooroo believed his idea was possible.

“Drink all your tea, Nooroo.  You are going to need the energy.”  Hawkmoth sat down in his Slavic throne and opened the Book of the Monarch, and began to read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This akuma was rather fun to write. I really love the concept of dragons, even if having a flying carnivorous fire-breathing dinosaur species on earth would probably end poorly for humanity.
> 
> I wanted to add more descriptions of stuff on fire but realized that I was nearing the point where the whole chapter might as well be me writing "STUFF ON FIRE, YO" over and over. 
> 
> Why is the guy handcuffed? I could not figure out how to add the detail that this guy was being transported from the Paris prison to a high-security insane asylum somewhere else when Hawkmoth got to him. In the USA (where I reside) handcuffing a dangerous suspect anytime they are out of their cell is fairly normal, and as it seems a sensible precaution I administered it to the arsonist, here. When he became a dragon it naturally shattered the cuffs, but one Miraculous Cure later they are not only one piece again but back on his wrists. No easy escapes on my watch, buster! 
> 
> You saw the LadyNoir moment and wanted more, I'm sure. More is planned. There is a reason "Identity Reveal" is in the tags.
> 
> Next update is 3/3/2017.


	13. The Dark Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dark Time explained, sad Kwami, and a Duo who are trying so hard to be in sync they disconnect a little. And Hawkmoth is Up To Something.

MARINETTE

This time the three heroes had met atop the Opéra Bastille.  The multi-layered top had become a place for the Duo to practice their leaps, wall kicks, and some team moves that had the two tossing each other at Eagle as he acted as a combination of coach and very difficult target. 

Fifteen minutes in Ladybug and Chat finally managed to score their first throw-kick on Eagle when Ladybug’s launch had successfully propelled Chat into Eagles’ hastily raised shield.  Eagle grunted as he went down hard, with Chat spinning up to his feet in time to face the older hero just as Ladybug landed behind the golden figure.  Eagle glanced back at her and waved his hands in annoyance.

“You’re learning quicker.”  He simply stated.  “Let’s see if you can do that twice more.”

Seven minutes and two more good throws later – mixed in with a fair number of misses – The older Hero signaled for a stop.  Chat gave him a surprised look, as did Ladybug.  _We’ve been doing this for only twenty five minutes, less than half the normal time.  What’s going on?_

“I think it’s time to tell you about why I’m doing this.”  Eagle crossed his arms and shivered a bit.

Ladybug cocked her head at the older hero.  “I had figured you just didn’t want to see us killed for lack of experience.”

“That’s a small part of it.” Eagle replied.  “It has more to do with the Dark Time.”

“You’ve mentioned the Dark Time before, but you didn’t want to talk about it.” Chat observed. 

“The Dark Time…”  Eagle slumped dejectedly, shaking his head in a slow, sorrowful way.  “No-one likes to talk about it, but there was a time when the Duo Miraculous was seized by another Miraculous wielder who had gone wrong.  For nearly one hundred and fifty years one man had the power of the Duo at his command and the world was a far worse off place for it.”

Chat opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut when Eagle gave him an icy glare.  The older man gestured to a ledge where a Weasel drone was hovering, with a basket slung under its chassis.  A book was sitting within, wrapped in a transparent plastic bag.  “I’ve got the story there.  Let’s go sit down and I’ll tell you about it.” 

 Seconds later the three were sitting on the ledge overlooking the Place de la Bastille.  Eagle flipped to a bookmark in the middle of the book, glanced once at it, and nodded.  “In 1453 the city of Constantinople was besieged and captured in fifty-three days.” He informed them.  “One of the officers in the attacking Byzantine forces was the man wielding the Bee Miraculous, and he found and managed to defeat the Cat Miraculous inside the city.  To this day we don’t know how he managed it; best guess is that he used his authority and the sheer ferocity of the Bee to simply overwhelm the Cat with soldiers and assaults.  No doubt exhaustion from the siege was part of his defeat.”  He gave Chat Noir a grim look, and then continued. 

 “Where was the Ladybug, you ask.” He said, not even waiting for Ladybug’s obvious question.    “She was outside the city, watching the siege.  They were new wielders of the Duo, and she simply did not know her partner was inside the city.”  He shook his head sadly.  “There was a new Guardian, at that time, and for some reason not recorded here in my book he was choosing new Wielders rather…haphazardly.   So the Bee Miraculous ended up in the ownership of someone more ambitious and less moral than usual.  He somehow discovered the connection between the two.  And he set out to claim them for himself.  Once he had the Cat, he abused and tortured him to the limits of his endurance.     More importantly, the Bee made sure Ladybug knew about that.”  He shuddered, and then flipped the page.  “Suffice to say his way of telling her was…bloody.” 

“Few things can harm a Miraculous wielder while they are transformed, but once it wears off you are just another mortal.  The Bee tortured the Cat from inside a ruined secondary castle at Studius.”  He briefly glanced up, gave them a grim smile, and continued reading.  “His pain was not directly transmitted to the Ladybug, but she knew he was being hurt.  She raced to the rescue… and when she arrived, the Bee killed the Cat, and then took the Cat Miraculous for himself.”

Now he looked up at them, and there was no trace of even grim amusement left on his face.  “For the first and only time in history, Cat and Ladybug fought.  Truly fought, no quarter neither asked nor given.  And the seamstress from Spain was no match for the battle-hardened soldier who had the other half of the Duo.”  Eagle made a brushing-off gesture, as if shooing a fly.  “He killed her and took both halves for himself.  He became the Shadow God.  The Dark Time had begun.”

“He primarily focused his efforts at control over Europe, West Asia, the Middle East, and northern Africa.” Eagle continued.  “Europe got it the worst.  He gained control of the Catholic Church and spent much of his time in Rome.  Using the Church, he oppressed the people of Europe and tried to keep the world in a way he felt was the way it was supposed to be.  Progress in many fields of science, philosophy, and technology slowed.  If he decided he did not like a thing it was very, very hard to avoid persecution.”  He looked up at the two appalled teens.  “The Inquisitions, the suppression of non-Catholic faiths, even some of the religious wars of the time – all part of his effort to keep a tight grip on Europe.” 

“The worst was reserved for his fellow Miraculous holders and the Power Stone wielders.  He hunted them.”  Eagle gave a sympathetic shudder.  “The Guardian of that time fled to Mongolia to protect the remaining two Miraculous, while the Moth Miraculous – the only other one left active – tried to fight the Shadow God by proxy using his powers before he, too, fled to another part of the world.  With them gone it was up to the Power Stones, and for the first thirty years he took us down one by one as he found our respective homes.  By 1487 he had killed thirty-nine Power Stones owners and destroyed their stones.  The rest of the Power Stone owners had fled to where they hoped he could not reach.”  Eagle continued to slip slowly through the Book, glancing up at the two teens from time to time to make sure they were still listening. 

“When the Shadow God killed a Stone owner who had taken refuge in the city of Mecca, in 1489, he finally forced the Power Stone wielders to realize their only hope was to fight back.”  Eagle waved a fist, his gritted teeth telling Marinette he approved of the decision to fight.  “It didn’t matter what Stone you had or what battles we had fought with each other trying to protect our patches or our people, or even our ideals; he just wanted every possible bit of opposition destroyed.  A group of Stone wielders went looking for the Guardian to beg for his help, while the others began grouping up in different parts of Asia and Africa, preparing for when we would be ready to fight him.”

“It took over a century.” Eagle continued.  “The Shadow God kept finding the groups and scattering them, killing Stone wielders when he could.  But a new Peacock Miraculous user was found, and the Butterfly Miraculous came out of hiding to help us.  In 1641 they were ready.  They used rumor and bait – some very brave Stone holders - to lure him away from Rome and to a lightly populated island halfway around the world from Rome.  Today it is called Mindanao.  There, the three Miraculous and seventy-nine Power Stone owners met the Shadow God in battle.”  He closed the book, and then continued to speak.  _He’s got this part memorized,_ Ladybug realized. 

Eagle heaved a sigh before he resumed his story.  “Modern science says what happened that day was a volcanic eruption, and it was – but trust me, seismic activity had nothing to do with it.  As the mountain exploded around and beneath them, eighty-two Powered individuals fought a God – and won.  Sixty three Power Stone owners were killed in the battle.  Most of the rest were badly hurt, and amongst the Miraculous only the Guardian escaped injury.  But when the Peacock managed to yank the Cat ring off the Shadow God’s finger, he suddenly was no longer a God but just a very strong Miraculous wielder, and that the survivors could handle.”  Eagle pretended to pull a ring off his left hand, and then pounded his fists together to emphasize his words.  “The former Shadow God was stripped of his Miraculous – only the Duo, it was a long time before anyone found the Bee Miraculous again - and then he was killed, and his body buried as deep inside the volcano as could be managed.”  Eagle shook his head sadly.  “The Dark Time was over – but so much had been lost.  A small number of the Power Stones whose wielders had died were picked up by the survivors, but many are probably still there, buried under many feet of volcanic rock.  That assumes the Shadow God didn’t simply obliterate them with his might, of course. “

Eagle gave the two a very grim look.  “We Power Stone wielders are still recovering from that event.  There might be twenty five of us now – up from the sixteen we know were active after the battle – but there was once about four times that many.  The world has become a far more dangerous place without us.  And that encourages more dark Stones, which does not help… “

“Dark Stones?”  Chat asked.  Marinette blinked.  _Wait, there’s more to the Power Stones?_

“I missed talking about those?   Hmph.”  Eagle waved a hand in a dismissive throw-away gesture.  “It’s a minor detail.  Sometimes a Power Stone is generated that focuses on a negative trait with its shadow being a positive trait.  I don’t think any have ever been generated on purpose.  The best example is the Rage stone.  People who find it are frequently driven mad by the pure, undiluted anger in it.  Most who find it end up doing some insane act of violence that kills at least themselves and on occasion many others before they are stopped.”

Eagle cocked his head to one side and gave them a small smile.  “The most important thing we Power Stone wielders do is find these things and destroy or contain them before they do too much damage.  Luckily they are fairly rare – I’ve seen two in my lifetime.”

“Wow.”  Chat’s ears flicked at he considered all Eagle had said.  _I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all myself.  This being a hero thing is much more complicated than I first thought.  I must ask Tikki about this Shadow God._

“I need a stiff drink now.”  Eagle stood up.  “So I’m off.  Meet again in three days atop the Eiffel Tower.  I’m running out of things to teach you – you learn quickly – but practice is still essential.  I will see you two later.” 

“Good night, Eagle.”  Ladybug told him.

“Yeah, and thanks for the story.” Chat added.

The Gold figure vanished off the rooftop a moment later, the black drone zipping off with him.  Chat and Ladybug watched them go for a moment, but then Chat turned to her. 

“Hell of a story.”  Chat said.  “I’d like to talk to my Kwami about it, though I doubt he will be very helpful.”

“Same here.” Ladybug replied.  “Though my Kwami might be more helpful… but I bet she won’t like talking about it.  She’s pretty sensitive.”

“This hero thing… it’s more dangerous than I had guessed.”  Chat continued.  “I don’t regret a moment of it – particularly the moments with you, My Lady.” He grinned.  He quickly sobered at her scowl.  “But it seems we’ve ended up in the very middle of it.”  He fingered the black and green ring on his right hand.

Ladybug’s expression softened.  “I understand.”  She fingered the earring on her right ear.  “It seems even more important to me we take every precaution to keep Hawkmoth guessing who we are so he cannot easily get at our Miraculous.”

Chat sighed.  “Yeah. I agree.”

 _Wait, is he saying?..._   Ladybug blinked at her partner.  “Chat?”

“Part of me still wants to know who you are behind that mask, My Lady.”   Chat gave her a small smile.  “But with this new knowledge of what came before – well, not only is the risk to us really high, but to everything else as well.  Keeping our identities secret seems a very sensible precaution now.  I just hope you will change your mind after we defeat Hawkmoth.”

Ladybug was stunned.  _I… don’t know what to say._   She stared at her partner.

Chat’s smile didn’t waver.  “ _Prends soin de toi_ , Lovebug.”  He bounded off.

Ladybug found her voice in time to call out “ _Bonne soirée!_ ” after Chat as he raced off. 

She stood there and stared after her vanished partner for a long minute after he had gone.  _Something about that didn’t feel right._

_But I can’t see what._

ADRIEN

“I don’t recall much of that time, and what little I do I don’t much care to talk about.” Snarled Plagg, his ears laid back on his head and tail tucked tight to his body. 

“Plagg…” Adrien tried to explain, but the tiny god just hissed again.

“Just no.  All you need to know it that Tikki and I should not be combined, ever.  The human mind is not meant for it.  Even if you survive the experience physically your mind will be warped beyond reason. “

“Tikki?” Adrien questioned.

“The Ladybug Kwami.  My other half, you doofus.” Plagg growled.

Adrien stared at his Kwami for a long moment.  The tiny being was clearly angry, and yet… _something else is going on in there_.

It hit Adrien like a thunderbolt.

“You love her.” He whispered.  _Wait, did I say that out loud?_

Plagg whirled to face him, baring his teeth.  “Yes!  And there is nothing I would not do to prevent her from ever suffering like she did then! “

Adrien blinked.  “But you said-“

“HER CRYING IS ALL I REMEMBER!”  And with that the tiny god streaked under Adrien’s bed and vanished.

Adrien stared after Plagg for a long minute.  Then he walked to his personal fridge, pulled out a wheel of Camembert, and placed it near where the Kwami had vanished.  He stood for a moment, and then spoke.  ‘I’m sorry I hurt you Plagg.  I…didn’t know.  Please accept my apology.”

It would be an hour later, while Adrien was doing his calculus homework, that he would hear Plagg’s voice again.

“Thanks kid.  I’m sorry too.  Let’s just not discuss it again, OK?”

Adrien could not help but smile.  “Deal.”

MARINETTE

Marinette found herself staring into the anguished eyes of her distraught Kwami.  _OK, that was a bad question to ask._

“I’m sorry, Tikki!  I didn’t mean to upset you!” she cried out.

Tikki gave a tiny sob, but Marinette could see her trying to pull herself together.  ‘It’s OK, Marinette, you - you are right to want to know.” 

Mari held out a hand and the tiny god drifted into her palm and rested there, clearly struggling with her emotions.  Marinette began to rub her head, and the contact seemed to help Tikki in her distress.  It still took her almost another two minutes before she spoke again.

“I don’t remember much about what happened after he took the earrings.  I just remember that it hurt.  A lot.  And I recall Plagg.“  For a moment she managed a small smile.

“Plagg?” questioned Marinette.

“Chat Noir’s Kwami.  My other half.” Tikki leaned into the head rub, so Mari gave it a bit more pressure.  “We were both stuck there, but he was doing anything and everything he could conceive of to protect me.  It was impossible, of course, but he tried anyways.” She gasped out a half-sob, half sigh, but continued.  “He can be a brat, my Plagg, but he’s mine.”

Marinette made the same connection Adrien was making at that moment just a few blocks away.  “You love him.”

“Yes.”  Tikki’s eyes were still full of tears, but she managed a smile at the thought.

 _I need to think about this_. realized Marinette.

“Thank you, Tikki.”  Marinette reached over to a nearby plate covered in snicker doddles.  “Cookie?”

“Yes, please.”  Tikki received the cookie and began munching.  “Plagg is right about one thing – food does help improve one’s mood.”

HAWKMOTH

Hawkmoth was crouched at the table over a particularly large chunk of volcanic rock.  Even de-transformed he could sense the way this one pulsed with energy.  He picked up a rock hammer and got to work.  Bits of pumice flew as he hammered on the lump of rock.

Some distance off, Nooroo was drinking his way through his second jug of tea that day.  His wings drooped with weariness.  He watched his unpredictable master carefully.

“Two weeks with no attacks, Nooroo.” Hawkmoth addressed his Kwami as he continued breaking off bits of the rock.  “I do wonder if they are wondering what is going on.”

Nooroo said nothing.  He simply looked over at the ornate arcane ring drawn on the floor of the center of the room now, with candles, incense burners, and other arcane objects placed strategically around it.  In the center a broken bracelet and shattered gemstone sat, looking somehow burnt despite the lack of ash.

“It won’t matter.”  Hawkmoth muttered.  “I’ve found a perfect akuma victim for the big day.  I just need to stack the deck as deeply as possible.  I’ve still got two more Stones to drain before then.  And this one – well, we shall see.”

Nooroo spoke at last.  “If you wish to destroy any more Stones, Master, I would ruin the one you are excavating now.  I can sense it’s malice from here.”

Hawkmoth continued to work, until abruptly the pumice fell away, revealing a black obsidian stone, whose heart glowed with the dull red-orange of lava.

“Perhaps, Nooroo.”  Hawkmoth finally replied.  “Perhaps.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter fought me tooth and nail from beginning to end. But it's done, I think.
> 
> Yes, I'm battering the Kwami emotionally now. I'm a horrible human being. 
> 
> Sorry for the wall o' exposition but this is a huge part of my world-building and I had fun writing it down, struggle or not. I kinda want to expand on the Power Stone wielders past & present, especially the ones who fought the Shadow God (I can't fit that story here, it would disrupt my intended story line too much) so there may be one-shots about that in the future. Comments with ideas about possible Power Stones welcome!
> 
> Next update is 3/10/17.


	14. Couples

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A vigilante and a hero discuss their past.

JEREMY

Jeremy stood in the center of the living space of the hotel room he shared with Amanda, a single rattan _canne_ held in each hand.  He was slowly maneuvering them through a complicated series of maneuvers.  _Someday I will be a true grand master of the technique.  Hopefully before I have to retire._

He kept messing up the complicated over and under moves, though, and he knew why.  He was distracted.

_Hawkmoth has not made a peep in nearly five weeks now.  Five weeks with no akuma attacks, after months of not quite daily efforts to force the Duo to surrender their Miraculous, strikes me as ominous._

He had mentioned this to the Duo earlier that day while playing another session of catch-me-if-you-can.  They hadn’t quite beaten him yet but Jeremy could tell it was only a matter of time.  The two were gaining in both power and experience quickly, despite the lack of akuma to do battle with. 

_They said they had discussed it themselves just a week ago, but until he makes a move they don’t see what they can do but just be prepared.  And I don’t see a better option myself at the moment.  Unless…_

“Amanda?” he called out. 

“Yes, dear?”  Came back Amanda’s voice from the next room over, where she was working on her current project – building another one of those sensor beds she had spent a small fortune on weeks ago.

“Any progress on the akuma hunt?”  he queried.

“Yes and no.  Yes, I’ve got a partial network up and running.  It started operation three days ago.  Yes, it’s detecting things.  But the data is confusing and difficult to draw any conclusions from.”

Jeremy could hear the frustration in her voice.  “What does the data show?”

“There’s more data than I know what to do with.  There’s this high-frequency energy *everywhere* in Paris.  And I see more of it showing up every day.  There’s so much I can’t track where it all came from – and I can’t tell if this is just ambient energy or something new.”

Jeremy shook his head at the news.  _She was so excited when she found a way to use science and technology to track magic – something I know she’s wanted for years now.  To be stymied again directly afterwards is making her a little crazy._

“I know you will figure it out.  How many supposed genius-level psychos have you tracked down?  How many are behind bars or in the ground because of your stubborn expertise?”  Jeremy encouraged her. 

“Forty-nine.”  Amanda replied.  “I do keep track.”  Jeremy could hear the smile on her face.

“It is still just as exciting now as it was back when we first did a whole case together, you know.” Amanda’s voice was suddenly wistful.

“You were able to go on the front line with me then.  I miss that.” Jeremy replied.

“Hm, yes.  I hit him pretty good, didn’t I?  Broke his nose." Amanda’s voice remained wistful as she spoke, lost in memory.

"Uhm...context?" Jeremy requested.

"The Broad Street case, remember?”  Amanda laughed.

“I do remember, though I don’t miss breaking noses.  The sound still makes me shiver.”  Jeremy did shiver at the memory.  _I’ve broken a lot of noses._  

“I would think a superhero would be less squeamish.”  Her tone remained light, playful. 

“You would think that case would have cured me.  Or the Pine Valley case, or the Pine Marsh serial killer.  But, nooo, every time I have to break some punk’s nose I still shiver about it.  Even if it is some horrible lowlife.  Give me proper leg and arm breaks any day.”  Jeremy realized he had, while talking to Amanda, finished practicing with the _canne_.  He began packing them away for future use. 

There was a pause, during which each of them continued to work on their respective projects.

“OK.  Favorite case we’ve worked on together.” Amanda’s  voice floated over to him as he closed and locked up the _canne_ in their carrying case..

“You ask that nearly every time we talk about this sort of thing.  And it is still the same – the one where I met you.  The Bartram Park rapist.  Not that I think that will ever change.  You made my humdrum superhero life super.”  Jeremy chuckled at the memory.

She giggled.  “I still vividly recall your look of annoyed surprise when I blasted you in the face with the pepper spray.”

Jeremy laughed.  “Not that it did anything to me, but I was about to try and be reasonable when this spitfire attacked me with everything she had.  I seem to recall I had to get her into a heck of a joint lock, arms and legs both, before I could get her to just talk to me rather than try to rip my face off.  Not that I minded, she is a pretty good-looking piece.”

“Flatterer.  Maybe I’ll come over there and try to peel you face off again, when I’m done with these last two data files.”  She waved a mocking fist at him through the doorway.

“Ooh, I’m scared.  Though if you ask nice enough I might just permit it.”  Jeremy grinned.

Silence descended again as she continued working, while Jeremy picked up the New York Times to see what was going on back home. 

“What is your favorite case so far?”  Jeremy asked as he finished reading about the latest political scandal.

“One you hated.  Actually, I didn’t like it at the time either, but a few years of introspection have me feeling very fond of one part of it.”  Amanda replied.

“Please tell me it not the Mob Boy case.”  Jeremy shuddered.

“No.  That one… well, that was our one disaster, wasn’t it?  Not that I blame you.  There was just an unexpected twist.”  _Dear God, where does she get the strength to make light of that day?_

“Hmm.  Yes.  Well…which one?”  Jeremy managed to keep his tone light despite his shiver at recalling that particular day.

“The Meadowbrook State Parkway serial killer.”  Amanda sounded very decisive.

“That was a bad one.” Jeremy could not suppress his scowl at the memory.  “You scared me bad with that final stunt, and I am still not sure how you got me to go along with it.  Dressing up as a potential victim… and then making yourself a target?  Hell’s bells, woman, I was having flashbacks to Erika from that for the whole month you were out there.”

Amanda’s tone got softer as she spoke.  “It worked, and you got him.  Just like I knew you would.  That was the case where I realized that I trusted you absolutely.  I had always loved you before that… but from that case on, I’ve never doubted you.”

Jeremy  put down the New York Times, stood, and walked slowly over to the chair where Amanda sat.  As he got close, she closed up her laptop just in time to catch his arms as he reached down around the chair to hug her from behind. 

For a long minute they remained like that, the worn hero and his disabled lady, their mutual grip communicating their affection in an unmistakable way.  No words were exchanged – none were needed.

Eventually Jeremy loosened his grip enough to crane around and looked Amanda in her brown eyes. 

“It’s late.  I think I’d like to take you to bed now.” He told her.

“I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so bad with fluffy relationship stuff when writing. This is, sadly, something I'm not good at in real life either, but hopefully I can improve at both! 
> 
> Next chapter will be posted on 3/17/17.


	15. The Filler Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nino & Alya chit-chat at his place.

ALYA

Alya flopped down on the couch in her living room next to her boyfriend Nino with an aggravated huff.  “No akuma action for the LadyBlog in over a month, Nino.  I’m having to track down Ladybug by having LadyBlog subscribers tell me where they are training with this Eagle guy when they spot them – and since that is often at night I can’t always get there before they vanish!  It’s so…damn…frustrating!”  She growled in annoyance at her phone, which was blinking with updates from her spotters in every district, with the same news: no sign of the heroes.

“Easy, babe.” Nino chuckled next to her, putting down his draft of the Composition assignment he had been working on.  “No attacks means no folks being traumatized by Hawkmoth.  Maybe he’s given up.”

“I doubt it.  I may not recall being DJWifi, but I do recall the implacable resolve in his voice when he spoke to me.  He’s not going to give up until he has what he wants.”  Alya replied.

Nino nodded slowly.  “I recall hearing it too… perhaps I’m just being too optimistic.”

Alya snorted.  “That’s why I have to be the realist in this relationship.” 

Nino gave her an overly dramatic pout.  Alay giggled at the expression.  _Damn, why did I have to fall for such a dork?_

Nino held the expression for a few moments longer while she giggled, then dropped it for a more genuine smile.  “But that means he is still up to something.  Make sure your homework and sleep are up to date, you might have a very busy day coming up.”

Alya sat bolt upright.  “Damn right I do, but that will be so I can try to help Mari talk to Adrien!  She’s still crushing on him, he’s still oblivious, and they’ve both so damned sweet together despite this  I just want to scream my frustration about it from the top of the Tower!”

Nino sighed dramatically.  Alya’s gaze whirled to him.  He is giving her his best puppy-eyed look.  “Alya, babe, I agree with you on most counts.  But we can’t force it to happen, that will just kill it.”

 _I hate and love that he’s right about this._   “I don’t want to force it, just…trick it into happening?  It’s making me crazy, Nino, I just want it to happen.”   She crossed her arms, knowing she had a slightly grumpy look on her face.

A moment later a warm arm slid over her shoulders and a hand firmly gripped her shoulder.  A moment later his body met her left arm as Nino gave her a partial hug from where he was seated next to her.  “Me too.  But I can tell you that so long as Adrien is crushing over Ladybug it won’t happen.  He’s lost in that fantasy.”

Alya sighed.  “Well…guess I’ll have to think of some way to distract him.  Thanks, Nino.”

Nino winced slightly.  _He’s thinking something sympathetic for Adrien_ , she laughed to herself.  _Well, that’s one of the reasons I like him.  He’s a damn good friend._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the chapter I was intending to upload today. Suffice to say I found a major plot hole and it needs patching. Stat.
> 
> We shall try again next week 3/24/17.


	16. Through the Eyes of the Watcher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Duo and Eagle spar while Weasel watches. When Eagle tries to convince them to do the Reveal, they balk - and Amanda steps in.

AMANDA

Amanda sat in front of her drone control computer, her hands on a joystick as she steered a small recon drone that was flying five kilometers away through the darkening Paris skies.  The low-light view the drone was sending back to her was not of the highest quality but she could see enough.  Eagle, all suited up, had just been cornered by the Duo atop an apartment block. 

_Hmm, maybe this time they’ll actually manage to beat Jeremy. She mused to herself.  He’s been running them through these capture scenarios pretty hard the past three weeks and he keeps either getting away or capturing one of the simulated Miraculous.  But it has been taking longer and longer for him to win and I know he’s taking longer and longer to recover.  Though that may also be partly my fault… damn his hands are sinful._

On the screen the three were equidistant as Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged glances, trying to coordinate a plan without speaking – something they had starting doing a week ago after Eagle had explained that hearing their plans allowed him to exploit them – and if he could do so, then Hawkmoth could as  well. 

Abruptly Eagle moved – not to attack Chat, as he typically did, but sweeping in at Ladybug, hoping to forestall whatever plan the two had going.

The two _canne_ glowed brightly on the screen as the Duo leaped into action, Ladybug darting away as Chat dove in, staff extending to strike at Eagle. Eagle whirled, his right _canne_ swatting aside the metal baton as the left slid out low to trip the black-suited superhero.  Chat nimbly used his deflected staff to arch over the swing and past the whirling Eagle, who managed to get one _canne_ up in time to block Ladybug’s yo-yo before it entangled him.  He leaped away as Chat’s next swing whipped through where his knees had just been – leaving all the heroes again poised atop the roof, Eagle balanced and ready for another strike, but the Duo opposite him just as prepared for another try. 

_You said two nights ago you thought they might be reaching the point where you can’t help them much anymore while they remain suited up.  I told you I thought you might be right – and now I’m convinced of it._

She rubbed her shin as the three remained motionless on the roof.  _So what’s the next step?  I still have no leads on the Akuma, the city is glowing with Akuma energy.  I am starting to map out some odd energy spikes, but my theory on that remains untested right now.  But that will change tonight._

And then, on the roof, the practice battle began again – and ended in a flash.  Chat extended his baton again and swatted at Eagle, but when Eagle deflected it Ladybug threw her yo-yo – and Chat managed to force the _canne_ aside so the yo-yo could ensnare the gold-suited hero.  Eagle hit the ground with a “huff” and continued to fight from his back as Chat closed in, but without mobility the battle was already over, and a moment later Chat was triumphantly waving the fake Eagle ring he had snagged off Jeremy’s hand.

A _mood ring, of all things_ , Amanda chuckled.  _And I bet it is an unamused red right now._  

She flew her remote platform in closer, watching as Ladybug untangled Eagle from her Yo-yo and Chat offered him a hand up.  Eagle took it and was shortly standing in front of the Duo, hands on hips, his expression slightly regretful. 

 “I think that’s about it.”  Eagle said.

“Hang on…we’re done?”  Chat looked surprised.

“I think I’ve taught you all I can in-suit.  These five weeks of being able to train without akuma… well, you two advanced quickly.”  Eagle told them.

“In-suit.”  Ladybug looked at him.  ‘You’re not suggesting-“

“I said in the beginning that training out of costume would allow for better growth.  But you were not interested.  Well, I think we’ve hit the point where there is not much else I can show you without un-suiting.”  Eagle shrugged.  “Up to you.”

Chat looked at Ladybug.  Ladybug looked… uncertain.  _No, she’s frightened._   Amanda corrected herself.  _Though what should scare a nigh invulnerable superhero is beyond me._

She sighed at the scene silently unfolded in front of her, Ladybug clearly uncertain and Chat awaiting her decision.  Amanda studied the very young woman on the screen, and then turned to a side-screen with folders of many of her current projects scatter across it.  One was simply labelled ‘Survey’ and this one she opened, revealing three more folders.  ‘CN,’ ‘HM,’ and ‘LB.’  She opened the LB folder and two files were revealed.  ‘Sabine’ and ‘Marinette.’  She went to open it and paused. 

He looked back at the main screen, her eyes slightly unfocused.  _Right, the closer I get to the truth the harder whatever the Miraculous do to protect their Chosen’s  identities becomes.  Urgh… headache_.  _Where is that – aha._

Amanda rolled away from the screen long enough to pick up a sun hat, one with a curious pendant tied to the top of it.  Then pendant looked like a closed eye – and the back was set with a piece of black jet.  Amanda donned it and the headache dulled instantly. 

_Better.  Now while I recover let’s see what has transpired on the roof._

She looked over and saw what was Eagle arguing with the two, who were standing together looking defiant.  _They said No.  Told you so, love._  

_I’d better get in there and do some peacemaking._

She grabbed her drone controls and zooms the craft over to the superhero huddle.  The microphone quickly picked up the argument.

“You’ve become much, much stronger, yes, but without a clear idea of Hawkmoth’s strength I can’t be sure you’ll win in your inevitable meeting.” Eagle was growling.

“It’s not like he’s going to just send us a printout of what he can do, but I’m not keen on the idea of surrendering our identities.” Ladybug replied, her arms crossed.

“You’re a good teacher, Eagle, but we still don’t know you.” Chat added, his tight body posture screaming his discomfort.  “How can we trust you without that?”

Eagle gave a rumble of dissatisfaction but as he opened his mouth to replay Amanda intervened.  “Love, yelling at them will not get you what you want.”

Eagle paused, and then glared at the drone.  “You have a suggestion.”

“Of course.” Amanda smiled at Eagle, even though she knew he could not see her face.  “Tell them how you became Eagle.  Tell them how you met me.  And tell them how I went from being your partner-“

Eagle’s eyes went wide.  “No!”

“Yes.”  Amanda hardened her tone a little.  “You are the senior hero here, power level be damned.  You’ve been doing this for decades, them for months.  Give them a good reason to trust you – by trusting them.”

Eagle gave her an incredulous look.  But then his eyes softened.  “I could be putting you at more risk.”

“This is less of a risk than when I was walking the Meadowbrook State Parkway in that cold, revealing outfit.”  Amanda replied.  “Or when we stormed that trap house in West Jersey.”

Eagle stared for a long moment.  Then he chuckled.  “OK, you are right.”

“You know it.”  Amanda sighed, without toggling the ‘speak’ key on the joystick.  She toggled it to give a less snarky reply: “You could do it here, if you wanted.”

“No.  I’ll just tell them here, if they have some time to spare.”  Eagle looked at the Duo, who looked calmer now that Eagle was no longer growling. 

The Duo nodded together, wordlessly. 

“Fine.”  Eagle leaned back on a nearby chimney, then gestured at the ledge running around the building.  “Grab some concrete.  This is not a short story, seeing as it starts closer to the 19th Century than the 21st…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, plot hole patched, let's continue the journey. Luckily it turned from a hole into a nice bit of plot twist, without deflecting the trajectory of the story. 
> 
> Things get a little darker next chapter. Again, nothing explicit, but Eagle & Weasel have seen some serious stuff. Our Hero..isn't, always. Leave that to the Duo.
> 
> Next update is 3/31/2017.


	17. Of Eagles & Weasel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy tells a brief history of himself and Amanda. Hawkmoth is just about ready for his big play.

JEREMY

Eagle ran a hand over his face, and then nodded slowly.  He looked once at the drone hovering nearby, knowing Amanda was watching for inside their room back at the Hotel.  _I won’t fail you, beautiful.  Once was once too many._

“ **Honor satisfied**.”  he intoned, and with a brief, golden shimmer Eagle was gone, and Jeremy Weber stood in hid place.  He heard the Duo take a sharp breath and could not help but smile. 

He gave them both a sharp look.  Ladybug and Chat had sat next to each other on the ledge, and just like when he had told them about Power Stones and the like, they looked like they were paying very close attention.  “I am Jeremy Weber, of New York City.”  He grinned.  “But many more folks know me as Golden Eagle.”

“As you gathered from our talk a few months ago, becoming a Power Stone wielder is very, very different than a Miraculous wielder.”  He gestured at the two kids.   “You are Chosen by the Guardian; we are discovered by the person who currently has the Stone and they test our suitability, and then teach us what we need to know to become the new wielder.  This usually takes a few years, during which time the selectee increasingly acts as the old wielder’s sidekick, in a sense.”

Jeremy smiled a bit, then continued.  “When the selectee is deemed ready, they are given the Power Stone and the old owner retires, though they will often advise the new wielder for several more years before age catches up with them.   My story is similar, but has its own… quirks. “

Jeremy gestured at himself.  “Believe it or not, I was born in a small town in Ohio, back in 1902.”

“Wait.”  Chat said.  “You’re over a century old?!”

Jeremy grinned at the young hero.  “Yup.  Continuing on -  I had moved to New York City in 1921 looking for work as a stockbroker.  Shortly after moving there I met a gorgeous young lady… Erika Stonebrook.  If love at first sight is a thing, that’s pretty much what happened – by the third month we were seeing each other nearly every day, and near the end of 1922 I knew she was the one.”  He gave a sigh, one laced with both old pleasure and pain. 

After a moment Jeremy continued.  “Right after Christmas in 1922 she vanished.  Her family and friends didn’t know where she was, and neither did I.  The police were called.  Investigations were launched.  One officer, a Sgt. Teague O’Neal, quietly took me aside two weeks in and told me that there was a serial killer lose in the City… and Erika fit the profile of his victims.  She was undoubtedly dead. “

Jeremy paused as Ladybug shuddered.  Chat saw the motion and took his attention off Jeremy for a moment, instead reaching out with one hand to Ladybug’s near shoulder, giving it a squeeze.  She gave him a wan smile in return before the two returned their gaze to Jeremy.

Jeremy decided to ignore this interruption.  “I decided that I would find this guy.  I was going to make him pay for taking my Erika away from me.  I knew that Erika walked home from her job along the same route practically every day.  I started canvassing that route. The police had done it before me, but I didn’t care – I knew I might spot something they had missed.”

He paused, eyes far away as he remembered the scene.  “On my third pass I did find something.  It was a necklace chain.  It didn’t look like much, but somehow I knew it was hers.  It seemed to lead to an alley… and there I found, hidden under a bunch of garbage, Erika’s bag and coat.  I summoned the police.  Sgt. O’Neal arrived and was clearly pleased with the discovery.  He asked me if I wanted to help him catch this elusive son of a – well, you know.”

Jeremy gave them both a steely look.  “I eagerly agreed.  My stocks went ignored as we chased Erika’s killer.”

Jeremy rubbed his chin as he recalled the tie he spent on his first adventure.  “Four months later we had established that this guy had a territory.  We had found seven of his victims – including Erika’s body.”  Jeremy briefly closed his eyes at the memory of her torn, butchered body.

After a long silence he managed to continue. “Somehow we had to stake out almost a hundred square miles of street to try and catch this guy when he struck again.  It was impossible for the police.  But it was not impossible for a Power Stone wielder.  And Sgt. O’Neal was the current Eagle.  He told me this and showed me what he could do.  If we could just find the guy, he told me, he would stand zero chance.”  Jeremy rubbed a fist into his palm, his eyes glittering with distantly recalled anger.

“It took another month and one final victim to find the guy.  Eagle was on patrol over the hot zone when the attack happened.  He got there in time to see where the guy took her.  He was not quite fast enough to save her life, alas, but a mere civilian, no matter how skilled or crazy, can stand up to a Stone holder.”  Jeremy chopped at the air with one hand, his smile speaking of a grim satisfaction.  “He killed the guy, then set up the scene to make it look like she had broken free and managed to get a fatal wound in before she died.  He called me to come to the scene, told me what he needed to do to hide his alter ego.  Then he had me summon and then lie to his fellow officers about me spotting the attack and summoning him to try and save her.  The evidence was good enough that they accepted the story.”

He glanced at the two kids.  Both looked a little pale. 

Jeremy snorted.  “You were expecting a nice, sunshiny do-gooder story?  That would have been more pleasant than what parts of my life have actually been like. “

Jeremy leaned back against the chimney, his scowl somehow thoughtful.  “In any case, a day later Sgt. O’Neal stopped by and straight up told me he felt I had what it took to become the next Eagle.  I balked a bit at first – I was a stockbroker, and the only reason I wasn’t bankrupt at this point was because this was the Roaring Twenties and my stocks had all climbed while I was distracted by Erika’s death and the search for her killer.  When he pointed out that I could help prevent – or at least minimize – other people suffering the same fate as my Erika, though… I had to accept.”  Eagle waved his hand, where the iron ring sat as a dark stripe around one finger. 

“I ended up being a stockbroker by day, and ultimately Eagle by night.  Sgt. O’Neal gave me the ring in 1928, and died of old age in 1937.”  Eagle grinned at the memory of juggling his life alone.  “I would be Eagle pretty much solo, hiding my dual life from pretty much everyone for the next fifty years.”

“Sounds lonely.” Chat commented.

Eagle chuckled.  “Oh, I had some friends, and took on several lovers, but ultimately none seemed like folks I could trust this secret to.  All my romantic relationships either ended badly or simply died of neglect.  Friends came and went.  I was content with my role and my work, but…I never was happy.  I just didn’t realize it.”

Eagle brightened up.  “Then, while tracking a rapist in the Philadelphia area in 1985, I stumbled across someone else who was chasing the same guy I was.  I was checking out the scene where one of his victims had been attacked when I noticed someone watching me from some bushes nearby.  I guessed it was my target and pounced on them – only to find myself in a clinch with a petite, black-haired teen-aged woman who was covered in gear and wearing camouflage.”  He grinned avidly at the memory. 

Eagle gave Weasel’s nearby drone a smile.  “I knew from police reports that I was looking for a mid-sized blonde man, so clearly not my target.  I let her go, and that proved a mistake when she first tried to blind me with Mace and then began trying to beat me with her bare hands.  The Power Stone protected me from her furious attacks but I ended up having to restrain her to keep her from hurting herself. “

“Uh huh.”  Weasel’s drone intoned.  “I’m sure that was the entire reason.”

Eagle grinned at her teasing.   “Turns out she was the older sister of the victim who was attacked there.  She had guessed I as the rapist, because what sane person wears a gold suit, right?  Once we came to an understanding of our actual roles she begged me to let her help.”

Eagle shook his head before continuing.  “I will admit I first wanted to say no, but when I realized she would just go solo and this guy might kill her I decided to agree.  The fact that she was terribly good-looking, even when covered in dirt and rumpled fatigues likely also helped me in that decision… I told her I was called Eagle.  She thought about that for a moment and said 'call me Weasel.'  So I did.”

Eagle’s smile returned as he continued the story.  “We did catch the guy, eventually.  Took another eight months of work.  We got to be good friends during that time, and after we caught him and got him arrested for his crimes, well, I didn’t want to stop seeing her.  I had figured out where she lived and visited her a night later.  Turns out she didn’t want to see our relationship end either, and we ended up having a very nice night together after we told each other our real names. “

“Still one of the best nights of my life, Jeremy.”  Droned Weasel.

Jeremy grinned even more broadly before continuing.  “For the next sixteen years the Eagle and the Weasel tracked and defeated criminals across a big part of North America.  Rapists and serial killers were our usual targets.   I was the muscle; she brought perception and tactical gear.  But then, in 2001, we traced down one guy who proved to be part of the local Mob.  And the Mob Boss was not eager to lose his chosen successor. “

Eagle’s smile vanished.  “The fight that broke out involved every type of weapon we brought to the scene.  I was in the middle of the fight dropping thugs with my _cannes_ while bullets and blades alike skipped off me.  Weasel was hitting them with tranquilizer darts from the sidelines… until one guy raked her with automatic pistol fire.  She screamed as she went down, and I kinda lost it… well.” 

There was a long silence, and then Weasel spoke up.  “I was conscious enough that I recall what happened.  You yelled my name…and your suit turned a deep, bloody red.  The sword came out…and anyone who got in your way never stood a chance.”

Eagle nodded, frowning.  “The end result was that she was crippled and four men died.  One was our target, and one was the man who crippled her.  Two others who got in my way both died too.  The other seven Mob guys there were all out cold and two of those would never walk again either.  But all that mattered to me was getting my Weasel to a hospital.  I did, and she lived, as you can hear… but she would never be able to come into the field with me again.  So she does it virtually, now.” 

“I miss it.” Weasel droned.  “But at least I can still support my partner.”

Jeremy managed a final smile.  “In any case, both of us are feeling our age and after this whole end of the world prevention thing is over, I hope to find myself a proper replacement.  Not either of you, and not here – it’ll be back on my home patch in the U.S.A. “

There was a long pause as the two teens sat, clearly thinking about what they had heard. Then Chat asked a single question. "You didn't mention Weasel's name. Why not?"

Jeremy gave him a smile. "Same reason you would never tell anyone Ladybug's real name, should you know it. To protect her from your enemies. Besides, it's not my secret to tell."

Weasel's drone buzzed. "I would have no problem telling you two my real name, in private, over some nice drinks. But a wireless signal can be intercepted, and decoded. So we never say my real name where it can be picked up."

Ladybug nodded her agreement. "That makes sense. Maybe...someday, we can share that drink."

"I'd like that." Weasel droned.

HAWKMOTH

Hawkmoth was glaring at Nooroo in the grim, grey-walled room he did most of his secret work in.  The tiny blue spirit was being even more… _whiny_ than usual.  Or so Hawkmoth thought.

“Master, this is nearing the outer limits of what I, and maybe even the strands of reality, can handle!  You are risking ruining me, ruining the Miraculous, and destroying yourself!”  Nooroo whimpered at the mercilessly slender man.  The tiny being looked paler than usual, and somehow looked like he was sagging under a huge weight despite the fact that he was floating several feet above the floor, just about at Hawmoth’s eye level.

“A life is at stake, Nooroo.  One important to me.  If that is the risks I must take to rescue it…so be it.”  Hawkmoth continued to arrange some items in the six-pointed star he had drawn on the floor. 

“You are putting millions of lives in danger doing this!  Not to mention enabling that…that…predator-“  Nooroo continued to plead.

“If he becomes a nuisance after I have accomplished my goal I will crush him like a mere insect.”  Hawkmoth’s warning tone was not lost on Nooroo, based on the shudder that convulsed his tiny body. 

“You are asking him to protect you from the Duo!  Even given his ruthless nature there is no way – even with THAT Power Stone – he will do no more than be a speed bump for the Duo.”  Nooroo may have been frightened but desperation drove him on.  The tiny being swept forward to hover directly in front of the man’s nose.  “It’s not too late.  Just surrender me to Fu, and beg for forgiveness and help.  He may or may not forgive you, but he will help you.”

Hawkmoth snarled.  “I’m not going back to _him_ to beg for anything.  If anything, he can come to me to ask _my_ forgiveness.”  He swatted at the kwami with his left hand, his right fumbling with a book of matches.  On the floor, various items were now neatly arranged around the star, with several tallow candles awaiting the tough of flame to get things properly started.

“Then at least recognize that I will not be able to sustain your transformation for long!  Or empower another being!  I have never been pushed like this before and the strain is comparable only with the first seconds of my existence; when I was being created!  If what you intend to do here overloads the Miraculous the whole city might cease to exist!”  Nooroo had simply phased through Hawkmoth’s hand and continued to plead with his master.

“If it concerns you so, find a way to handle it.”  Hawkmoth ordered.

Nooroo stilled.  “You…want me to handle the strain in any way possible?”

Hawmoth looked the floating being in the eyes, his gaze making even the god feel chilled.  “You will not abandon my plan.  You will sustain the work I have done for as long as you can.  You will handle the magical energy this ritual will bestow you, as you did the ones before it.  You will not allow this to destroy the city – because I say so.”

Nooroo hovered a long moment.  Then: “Yes, master.  I will do all of this, handle it as long as I can – at all costs.”

Hawkmoth turned away, his mind on the ritual, missing the tiny (if exhausted) smile on the Kwami’s face.

Then his phone rang.  Not the civilian phone –the burner phone he had picked up to talk to his new ‘partner.’  The man who is Hawkmoth started at it a moment, clearly debating if he should pick up.  After a moment he straightened, and opened the phone. 

“I’m still waiting.” The voice on the other end stated.

“And you will know when I make my move.  Just watch the Ladyblog.”  The villain replied.

“I have been.  Ladybug’s suit leaves little to the imagination.  I think I will enjoy her when our little deal is done.”  The voice replied.

Hawkmoth didn’t even flinch.  “Only after I have the earrings. I can sense your hunger even from here.  Keep a lid on it, the endgame nears.”

“You are asking much.  Thus my call.  I need to know if you have what you promised me – other than Ladybug.”  The voice rasped.

Hawkmoth glanced over at a bookshelf that had a heavy, rune-set box set over a certain obsidian Stone he had freed from pumice two weeks ago.  Even with the protective covering its flaring, angry hunger could be felt.  “Yes.  And it is yours either when I have the Duo Miraculous, or when I need you to help me defeat the Heroes of Paris – whichever comes first.”

“Hurry.  My patience is…limited.”  The phone call ended.

Nooroo shivered.  He could tell the other speaker was outside Paris, and yet he could sense the other man’s lustful and murderous desires - and his ruthless discipline he had acquired to hide it from more ordinary people - when his Master focused on the man – which was how Hawkmoth could sense it as well. 

“No, Nooroo, I don’t like him either.  But he will be useful.”  Hawkmoth lit the candles, then stepped into the circle, and reached up for the Moth brooch.  He paused, considering, then gave Nooroo a hard look.  “He is right, though.  Time is now of the essence.  I am about to start the ritual.  Once it is done, we will transform, and we will wait for the Sargent to lose his cool again – no more than two or three days before that happens again.  And at that point, the battle that I have been preparing for will begin.”

Nooroo nodded.  “I’m not looking forward to it, but it would be nice to finish this night-”

Nooroo’s voice vanished as Hawkmoth took off the brooch.  He opened it to look once ore at the face of the beautiful woman within, sighed, closed it, and placed it in the center of the star.  Three more Stones lined the edges of the inner hexagon of the circle, and arcane symbols surrounded the whole tracing, with candles flickering at every point.  Hawkmoth stepped back to the edge of the circle, picked up the Book of the Monarch, and began chanting a ritual from it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another chapter I wrote up back at the end of 2016. My two vigilantes needed a history so I could see how they would fit into Miraculous Paris. The Hawkmoth section, however, was finished up just over a week ago.
> 
> I'm a huge history geek and the most interesting history is often the darker bits, I find. People we now idolize as heroes often have much more complicated backgrounds when we start digging into their lives. I took a class in college about Abraham Lincoln and the simple act of pointing out how his attitude towards African-Americans changes over the last twenty years of his life as he progresses through politics got me *yelled at* by classmates who could not believe I would treat him as anything less than a minor god. Many of the Founding Fathers have similarly complicated lives when you give them a closer look. Europe is full of famous leaders with... complicated... backgrounds and personal habits. I imagine the rest of the world does too, I just have not studied them as much. :p
> 
> Dear gods, Hawkmoth, the guy I've invented to be your...ugh...'ally' is giving me the creeps. There are 'interesting' folks, there are complicated ones, and then there are folks you just wish you could burn from existence. This guy is, in two critical ways, Hawkmoth's opposite. Hawkmoth gets his power from empathy, and his motivation from a badly damaged sense of compassion. This guy was born with neither.
> 
> Next update is 4/6/2017.


	18. A quiet scene on the Eiffel Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Duo talk while seated on the Eiffel Tower. Hugs and crying.

ADRIEN

Chat Noir sat on a cross beam of the Eiffel Tower, just about two hundred meters above the ground.  He was looking south-west over the Champs du Mars, with the glittering Seine River reflecting the red and orange glow of the sunset as he awaited his partner.

 _It’s been a long day, thinking about what Eagle told us two nights ago._ he reflected.  _It kept me up that night and I was so out of it yesterday both Nino and Alya were fussing over me.  Even Mari overcame her stutter to ask me what was wrong.  Heh, they were fussing over her too – she looked as beat as I bet I did.  I wonder what kept her up – maybe some new design idea?_

He continued to ruminate as he awaited his partner.  They had delayed this discussion after a brief Miraculous call through their staff and yo-yo, respectively, after deciding they were both too worn out from not sleeping the night before to make any meaningful decisions about what they were going to do about Eagle’s – _Jeremy’s_ \- offer.   Today, he had slept better (and Ladybug had said she had too) so thus they were meeting to discuss if they should unmask.

_Ladybug is not going to be happy about it, I bet.  But the fact that she’s even willing to discuss it is a nice change.  I backed off on it over a month ago due to the danger level, but now I think we can handle any challenge Hawkmoth can throw at us.  I find myself almost eager to take on whatever plan he’s concocted during this long lull.  So long as Ladybug and I are together… I know we will win._

The beam rang softly as someone landed on the other end of it.  Chat glanced uyp at the red-suited figure that had just arrived, giving her a glad smile.  Ladybug returned it as she wound her yo-yo back up.  “Hello, My Lady.” He greeted her.

“Good evening, Chat.” She softly replied.  Chat blinked slightly.  _She’s normally not this reserved.  I wonder what is up?  Is Eagle’s offer making her that nervous?_

Ladybug sat down next to Chat, carefully arranging herself on the beam so she did not have to worry about falling off.  Chat watched her with a pleased smile.  _Immunity to damage from falls or not, that doesn’t mean it’s any fun._ Then she reached over and placed her left arm over his shoulders, with her left hand ending atop his left shoulder.  Chat grinned at her as she peered over to check his reaction, and then draped his right arm over her shoulders the same way.

The two friends sat there for three minutes, just enjoying the sunset and the companionable silence.  Then the question they both knew had to be addressed began to weigh on the scene.

Chat felt Ladybug fidget next to him as the quiet whisper of the wind urged them to talk.  _Should I start the conversation?  Or let her do it? Is she asking herself the same thing?_

Chat considered for a long moment.  _I’ll talk first; I’m supposed to be the gentleman here._

“Ladybug-“

“Chat-“they both talked over each other, and then stopped with an embarrassed glance at the other. 

“Go ahead.” Ladybug managed to squeeze out before he recovered.

Chat gave her a grin.  “I was just thinking I should start, since I’m supposed to be the gentleman.”

“Please.” She softly requested.  _She is rattled; normally she’s much more forward._

Chat paused to consider what to say.  But all the eloquence he had even been taught on his Father’s instruction deserted him.  With a resigned mental shrug he decided to just say it plainly and hope it did not upset her.  “I’m not afraid to reveal my identity to you.  Or to Eagle, or to Weasel – though maybe I should worry about her, as she could be recording us during our training sessions.  There’s a clear benefit to doing so, and once we know, other benefits will likely reveal themselves.”

She remained silent.  Chat tried to gauge her reaction, but she was so still nothing registered.  He sighed.  “But if you’re not comfortable with it we won’t.  We’re partners, I won’t force you-“

“I know.”  Her voice sighed softly across the breeze.  “I trust you.”

Chat looked at her.  She was no longer looking at him.  She was staring down at the Seine, looking worried.

“Yet you don’t like the idea of revealing yourself.”  Chat observed.

“No.”  Her arm retreated off his back, to clutch at her other hand in her lap.

Chat paused, at a loss.  _Ladybug said she trusts me, yet she retreats!  I don’t understand…_

The pause was too long, it seemed, as Ladybug pulled her knees up to her face and hugged them there, hiding her face from view.  Only the fact that she did not shrug off Chat’s companionable arm left him any hope.

Chat pulled himself closer.  His right hip and shoulder rubbed hers as he leaned in to her.  “I don’t understand.  Please talk to me…I want to help.”

Ladybug mumbled something brief into her knees.

Chat tucked his head in next to hers.  “I didn’t quite catch that.” He said gently.  “Can you repeat it?”

“I’m frightened.”  Ladybug’s muffled voice repeated.

Chat was surprised.  _What could possibly frighten Ladybug?  She’s the bravest person I’ve ever met._

Then a memory struck him – a scene played out only a short distance away, on the very Tower they now occupied.  _Volpina dangling that image of Adrien – of ME – off the Tower scared her so bad she was prepared to surrender her Miraculous to save him.  That’s the only time I’ve ever seen her frightened.  She was not scared when Cloe was threatened, or when Horrificator was threatening the whole class – but she was worried about Adrien then too._

_She might very well know me as Adrien._

_Who is she?  I really want to know now._

_But first things first._

Chat wrapped his other arm around the ball of Ladybug and hugged her.  “You are the bravest person I’ve ever met.” He told her.  “What scares you so badly?”

Her body shook with a single sob, and Chat squeezed the hug a little tighter as he realized she was crying inside her little huddle.  Then he heard her take several deep breaths, and knew she was gathering herself to try and talk.  He began rubbing circles on her back with his left hand to try and encourage her.

“I… I can’t lose you.”  She managed to strangle out.

“I’m right here, Bugaboo.”  He gently told her.

“You won’t be, once you see who I really am.”  She gasped out, managing to pack herself even more tightly into her ball.  “I’m plain, clumsy, foolish, and boring when I’m not Ladybug!”

Chat blinked.  _I had no idea Ladybug had such a low opinion of herself._ “Untrue.  The mask is not Ladybug.  You are Ladybug.  The courage, the kindness and compassion, the intelligence – that’s all you.   The mask gives us none of those things.  They are what make you Ladybug, not the earrings or the suit.”

A moment passed before a slightly red-eyed Ladybug turned her head to peek out at her partner’s face, inches away as he hugged her.  “Do you really think so?”

“Yes.  I’m not my suit.  The suit allows me to indulge in my funnier side - hmm, make that my punnier side – but Chat is just another element of me.”  Chat told her with all the confidence he could muster.

The one visible Ladybug eye rolled, but Chat felt her loosen.  A slight smile was visible as she dropped her grip on herself.  Her legs remained up on the beam, but now that was because Chat was holding them there, as he had not quite yet relinquished his hug. 

Ladybug sighed and gave him a look that somehow combined annoyance with fondness.  “Can I have my legs back, Chat?”

Chat gave her a mischievous smile.  “But I’m enjoying them!”

“Chat.”  _OK, annoyance is gaining the upper hand._

Chat pulled away his left arm so she could free her legs.  She swung them back down into a sitting position, then turned back to Chat – and embraced the startled superhero.

“Thank you.” She whispered.  “I’m so lucky you are my partner.”

Chat hugged her back _.  Ladybug doesn’t often embrace me, and I think she might need this hug even more than I do._

The hug had only lasted for a few seconds when a distant explosion made them both start.  It had come from behind Chat, so he could not see what was going on, and Ladybug had not let him go – but he could feel her staring to see where that had happened.

“I think there may be an akuma attack in progress somewhere past Notre Dame.”  She stated, her earlier softness replaced by the steel he was more accustomed to.  “I can see a dust cloud rising.”

Chat grimaced.  “Just my luck.”  _Actually, it might not be so bad – she’s still holding me._

Ladybug pulled back so she could look at him, loosening the hug but not quite dropping it.  “We will have to finish this discussion tomorrow.  Meet me here about an hour before sunset again?”

Chat smiled.  “Of course, my Lady.  Shall we save Paris again?”

“Yes.”  She replied, and the two of them dropped the hug, pulled out their respective weapon, and raced east as another explosion and cloud of dust rose over the city. 

HAWKMOTH

Hawkmoth stood in front of his huge window, the iris dialed fully open as his akuma landed on the gloved hand of a ragged man sitting against a trash barrel in an alley in eastern Paris.  In a moment the akuma had vanished into the man’s possessions and the psychic link was complete. 

“Top Sargent, I am Hawkmoth.  I am giving you the power to ensure that you and your fallen comrades will never be forgotten by either the government or people of France.  All I need from you are the Miraculous of Ladybug and Chat Noir.  Will you accept this mission?”  Hawkmoth smiled wickedly as he played on his subject’s negative emotions and damaged psyche.

“Yes, Hawkmoth.  I have never failed a mission.  I will not fail my comrades, or you.” replied the broken man.

With a thought Top Sargent was complete, and brimming with all the excess energy Hawkmoth could give him, thanks to the ritual he had finished a day before.  But for once the villain did not stay to watch through his puppet’s eyes.  He closed the iris, then strode towards the exit, de-transforming as he went.  He caught Nooroo as the overloaded kwami appeared out of the brooch, then tucked him into his shirt pocket without a word – though the straining kwami didn’t even seem to notice.  The villain walked calmly down several flights of stairs, then through the ornate building to a side exit, where a long black limousine waited for him.  The driver stepped out as he approached and opened the back door for him.  The preoccupied man did not thank him, he just climbed in and waited while the driver closed the door and returned to his seat.

“Where to, sir.” Stated the driver.

“I hear there is a new restaurant opening at the Place de la Nation.”  The man who is Hawkmoth said.  “Take me there.”

“Yes sir.”  The engine rumbled to life and the limo pulled smoothly into traffic.  In the rear, Hawkmoth sat and managed not to squirm as his plan went into action.

_Soon…the Duo Miraculous will finally be mine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Egads, writing scenes like these is so hard. Give me a solid action scene any day. Oh wait, that's three of the next four chapters. Hang on to your yo-yos, everyone, this akuma's gonna be FUN.
> 
> So who wants to guess why Hawkmoth is leaving his lair? Anyone? 
> 
> Next update is on 4/14/17.


	19. Top Sargent: Battle in the Streets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heroes find an akuma who is much, much more dangerous than any they have faced before.

MARINETTE

Ladybug landed atop the peaked roof one of the granite buildings on the west side of the Place de la Nation.  A moment later she heard Chat land softly next to her as she scanned the plaza, looking for the source of the two slowly combining dust clouds that now hung over the square.  Her eyes landed on the two monumental columns that normally rose just east of the Place; both were toppled, the shattered remains blocking the Avenue de Trone completely. 

What she did not see was an akuma. 

_This is…different.  Has Hawkmoth changed his tactics?_

“I don’t see the akuma, My Lady.” Chat purred next to her. 

“Me either.” She replied.  “I also can see that traffic has ground to a halt and folks are abandoning the area.  That’s good…less chance they will get hurt.”

“I somehow doubt the akuma is running away with them.  Shall I go and see if I can sniff him out?”  Chat inquired.

_Wait, was that a…_ “Chat, not a good time for jokes.”

“But I do so enjoy bugging you!” Chat laughed. 

Ladybug could not help the eye roll.  “Chat-“

Chat suddenly slammed into her, his hands catching her around her midriff as he threw both of them off the roof.  A roaring noise from inside the plaza heralded *something* fast hurtling by them as they dropped, as she instinctively grabbed for her yo-yo.  But with only six stories between them and the ground there was no way she was making that throw in time.

The impact would have shattered anyone who was not transformed.  Chat and Ladybug rolled into the traffic circle, crashing into a stalled car to make their halt.  Even as they landed another explosion above them rang into her ears, and as the car halted them chunks of the building they had just been atop showered down around them. 

“Are you OK, Ladybug?” Chat’s voice was muffled by her side, as he had not relinquished his grip on her as they lay together in a heap against the badly dented vehicle. 

“I’m fine, Chat.”  Ladybug began to disentangle herself from the pile of car, rubble, and Chat.  “What was that?”

“A missile of some kind.  It was set up in concealment on the far side of the square, and  the akuma fired it at us.  I saw it coming from the corner of my eye and simply reacted.”  Chat explained.

Ladybug get herself fully disentangled, and then helped Chat to his feet.  “Thank you, kitty.  Did you see the akuma?”

“No.  I just saw the missile come from over there.”  He gestured to the far side of the plaza.

“He’s still not making demands.  I don’t much like it, this one is acting different.”  Ladybug noted, glancing over the top of the car to see if she could spot their adversary. 

“Let’s go check out where the launch was from, he could not have gotten far from there.”  Chat pointed out.

“Agreed.  Keep short distances apart, no point both of us taking the next attack.”  Ladybug vaulted over the car’s back as Chat raced over the front.

Moments later the two heroes were at the launch point…and other than a scorch mark in the grass, there was no sign of their opponent.

“I don’t get it Chat.  No demands, stays out of sight…” Ladybug scratched her head as they crouched next to a flower bed there.

“Vanisher was like this.”  Chat recalled.

“She didn’t launch missiles.”  Ladybug pointed out.

“True-“ Chat started before a dull *thud* in the flower bed made them both glance over.

A roughly 2” long, bullet shaped dull green object with bright yellow letters: “HE” has just landed there.  No-one had to tell the two heroes it was a grenade.  They both dropped flat as the flower bed was ripped apart in a dark, dirty plume of dirt, vegetation, and shrapnel as the device exploded with a loud ‘whump!’

The two lay there a moment, ears ringing from the nose, before Chat turned his head to grin at her.  “This akuma is starting things off with a bang!”

“That was terrible Chat.  I think it came from near the toppled pillars.”  Ladybug cautiously rose, looking that way, and saw another small object pop up from behind the toppled south pillar.  “Move, Chat!”

The black-suited hero darted away as another grenade slammed down where he had been cowering.  A moment later it also detonated, the blast wave dropping him back on his face as Ladybug ducked into cover next to a stalled bus. 

Ladybug glanced around the bus and got her first glimpse of she knew had to be the akuma – a green army helmet dropping back behind the wrecked pillar.  “I see him Chat!  Behind the toppled pillar on the right!”

Chat leaped up and began to sprint for the pillar.  “I’ll go left!”

Ladybug understood instantly, the weeks spent doing exercises revealing the plan instantly – trap the guy between them, and then bring him down by forcing him to split his attention.

Ladybug leaped forward as well, headed for the right side of the shattered pillar.  A moment later she skidded around it – just in time to see her partner round the far side in front of the akuma.

The akuma is a man, just under two meters tall, wearing what, at first, looked like standard French military uniform – but whose colors were all subtly *wrong,* the paler greens just a little too pale and the darker browns closer to black.  The helmet was an American ‘Fritz’ helmet, similar to the German WWII helmet, and it too was just not quite the normal green.  He wore white gloves and his combat boots were a brown color that she could only describe as ‘awful brown.’  His back was to her, so she could not see his face.

He was also pointing a combat shotgun at her partner and his posture indicated he was ready and waiting for her partner as he bounded around the corner.  Time seemed to slow as Chat rounded the corner directly into the akuma’s line of fire at a range of less than three meters.

The shotgun bucked as the akuma fired it.  Chat took the blast full in the chest and dropped .  The akuma wheeled towards Ladybug, charging the shotgun as he came.  His face, painted with white stripes under his eyes and black paint over the rest, was curled into a snarl as the shotgun came into line.  Ladybug hurled herself back over the pillar as the gun roared again, the heavy slug zipping by as she found fresh cover. 

Briefly safe, Ladybug could only stare towards where she had just seen her partner fall.  “CHAT!” she shrieked, fearing for her partner.

A moment later the black-suited hero rolled back onto her side of the pillar.  He lay there a moment as Ladybug rushed to her partner.  A moment later he began clambering to his feet.

“Are you OK, Chat?” she asked her partner breathlessly, grabbing her partner’s shoulders.

“He blew the wind out of me is all.” Chat replied.  “I’ll be fine in a moment.”

“That’s not all he blasted.” Ladybug replied as her relief at Chat’s survival allowed her to give the black-suited hero a better once-over.  “Your suit is damaged.”

“What?”  Chat glanced down at where the shot had hit him.  Sure enough, the suit had a good four centimeter tear in it just above his heart.  A little bit of Chat’s skin, unblemished, peeked through.

The two stared first at the hole, then made eye contact in shock.  Both knew they were sharing the same thought.  _This one is strong enough to hurt us._

“Ladybug.  Chat Noir.”  The voice came from the other end of the shattered pillar, with an echoed, eerie quality that made both heroes’ neck hairs stand on end.  “I am Top Sargent.  Surrender your Miraculous to me and nothing bad has to happen to either of you.  Refuse, and it will be war.”

The two of them never broke eye contact.  Again, no talk was required.  The decision was obvious.

“No.”  They both said with one voice.

“I have never failed a mission.  I am not failing today.”  And then they heard the akuma’s footsteps racing off to the east, down the Avenue du Trone.

Ladybug looked at her partner’s injured suit again.  “This one will require more caution, kitty.  Somehow he’s got the power to damage our suits – and maybe us too.”

“Better me than you, Ladybug.  You can fix me – I can’t fix you.” Chat replied.  He sobered as ladybug gave him a hard look.  “I’ll try to avoid it.  Though you’d think he’d hesitate to destroy this perfection!” Chat grinned, flexing.

Ladybug shook her head at her incorrigible partner.  “Let’s be off after him, I don’t want to run into another ambush.”

“Right behind you LB.”  The two heroes set off down the Avenue at a sprint after the rapidly receding form of Top Sargent.

Top Sargent was racing away at a speed only a transformed being could make – and then they saw him drop the shotgun.  A moment later a much longer, heavier looking weapon appearedin his hands – and the akuma spun around and aimed it at Chat.  The leather-clad hero dove for cover as the weapon fired with a heavy crash, and Ladybug could hear the round fired slam into a stalled car some distance behind him.

“He’s got a fifty caliber sniper rifle now!” Chat called to her from behind the bus he was using as cover.  “Make sure you use very heavy cover, that thing can penetrate armor plate!”

Ladybug winced, and glanced at the Lumeneo Smera she was using as cover.  “Do you think this cover is heavy enough?”

Her answer was the retort of the sniper rifle, and the feel of a heavy blow to her right hip.  Ladybug crashed to the ground with a cry, but kept her wits about her as she rolled behind a nearby bus. 

“LB!” yelled Chat in alarm.

“I’m OK.” She replied automatically as she looked down at herself to find out if it was true.  A new rent in her suit was evident at her right hip, but the skin beyond was not even bruised.  _This guy hit me when he couldn’t even see me just by the sound of my voice.  This akuma is really dangerous._  

“I think we have to advance from cover to cover on opposite sides of the street, minimize the time he has to target us.” Chat’s relief was evident in his voice. _For once he’s stopped making jokes.  He’s worried, too._

“Agreed.”  Ladybug watched as her partner immediately took off for the next hopefully solid enough vehicle.  When she heard the rifle’s next shot she immediately ran for the corner of a nearby building, closing in on where the akuma had stopped on the top story of an apartment building over the highway overpass there. 

The next few minutes were a nightmare as the two zigzagged forward from cover to cover, with the akuma’s high-powered rifle barking out rounds from his elevated firing position.  Ladybug lost one of her pigtails to one round, as the heavy slug destroyed the ties binding it; Chat got his right cat-ear notched by another round, and his left shoulder picked up a tear in the armor as well.  Now both were in cover at the base of the overpass, well out of the akuma’s line of fire. 

“This is frustrating, My Lady.” Chat gestured towards where the akuma had been sniping from.  “I don’t recall another akuma who kept its distance like this.  Most just came in close for the fight.”

“This one is different, Chat.  How’s your ear?”  Ladybug reached towards the injured appendage, concern carved into her features, but hesitated.  _I don’t want to make it worse._

“I know it was hit, but no pain.  I think the hole will vanish, given time.”  Chat gave her a reassuring smile.  “In any case, I hear ladies like a man with a scar or two!”

Ladybug rolled her eyes and retracted her hand.  “Chat.”  _I really wish he didn’t flirt during a battle._

He gave her a cheeky grin.  “You have my purr-mission to check it out whenever you want.”

Ladybug put her hands on her hips and managed a scowl that would have been threatening to anyone else.  “Chat!”  _He’s recovered from that scare back at the Place de la Nations, at least._

“Akuma, akuma, I know.  I saw him leaving his spot as we dropped down here, headed east again.”  Chat’s grin didn’t diminish in the least.

“He’s trying to wear us down.  Did you see his uniform?  I think he’s a veteran.”  Ladybug pointed out.

“I did… and I saw a patch for the COS on his uniform.  Unlike everything else, it was not weirdly colored.  I think the akuma is in it.”  Chat replied.  “COS would also explain his mastery of so many weapons.”

“Oh great, a special operations veteran.  This guy is going to be hard to catch, Chat.”  Ladybug worried.

“He’s one, we are two.  We just need to keep after him and eventually we will catch him.  Come on, I’ll go over the top first.”  Chat bounded up and leaped to the top of the sunken highway, landing softly on the street above.  Ladybug, after an exasperated but fond shake of her head, followed. 

HAWKMOTH

The man the world knew as Hawkmoth stood in the badly damaged Place de la Nation, looking east where the two distant heroes and his latest victim.  He had dismissed his driver and vehicle with a simple gesture, than man at the wheel knowing better than to question his cold, dispassionate boss.  Now, still in his civilian form, the villain watched as the battle moved down the street. 

Hawkmoth could not talk to his victim in this form, but he could still sense his emotions.  And these gave him hints to his intent.  And this one was looking for someplace where he could set up ambushes and get the two heroes separated.  One place sprang to mind.

“The Château of Vincennes.  An actual castle, even if it is a museum now.  Trust a military man to want to use a fortress.”  Hawkmoth began walking down the street.  The time for intervention would come soon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a gigantic chapter, much bigger than envisioned. I've ended up breaking it into two parts, not ideal but it is what it is. 
> 
> Next update is 4-28-17. Easter break next week, not going to be around to update on the 21st. Yup, eat that cliffhanger. I swear it was not intentional. You can watch this battle with the akuma end inside the Chateau in two weeks.


	20. Top Sargent: Battle in the Chateau.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Duo battle the Akuma through a major Paris landmark.

Part 18: MARINETTE

The next few minutes were very stressful.  Ladybug darted from bit of cover to bit of cover, watching the distant figure of Top Sargent moving ahead of her and Chat Noir, firing some kind of automatic rifle now at the two heroes as they tried to catch up.  The sprays of bullets had yet to make any hits, but mindful of the damage they had already sustained the two ducked for cover whenever the black weapon spun their way. 

Then Ladybug saw him drop the rifle – which vanished a moment later – and some kind of pistol-like device appeared in his right hand.  He pointed it at a nearby building – _wait, that’s a castle!_ – and pulled the trigger.  There was a loud retort, a faint thud, and a moment later the greenish figure was hurtling over the castle walls with a cheery wave back at them.

“An ascension gun!” she heard Chat gasp behind her.  “Looks like he’s not limited to just weapons.”  Chat began to race towards the wall, but Ladybug quickly reached forward to grab him as he ran by, stopping the feline hero in his tracks.

“He’s probably waiting in ambush behind the walls in the courtyard.” Ladybug reasoned.  “Just jumping in to meet a hail of bullets seems a bad plan.”

“That’s a good point.” Chat rubbed the back of his head.  “How do we get in, then?”

“We do a little breaking and entering.”  Ladybug pointed at a window in the main redoubt of the fortress.  It was clearly big enough for them – once the iron bars closing it off were removed.  “The Miraculous Cure should fix the damaged entry, so it should work out OK.”

“Let’s go, then!  I’ve always wanted to storm a castle!”  Chat bounded off toward the fenced-off castle entry.  Ladybug followed, shaking her head, trying not to smile at her partner’s antics.  _Geeze, such a huge dork.  I’m glad he’s OK, and I hope this akuma is over with before he manages to harm my kitty._

As they got close, though, she spotted a blonde, middle-aged woman in a dark blue uniform crouched next to the fence surrounding the Chateau.  She spotted the two heroes at the same time and began waving at them.

“Chat.”  She called out, even as her partner swerved to go and greet the woman.

“Are you hurt, miss?” he asked as he skidded to a halt in front of the woman, Ladybug stopping next to him a moment later.

“No.” She said.  “But the akuma is in my castle.”

“We noticed.  We were about to go after him-“Ladybug began to point out, but the woman interrupted her by holding up a set of keys, and a map, clearly marked “Chateau.”

“I am the castle’s assistant curator; and this is my set of keys to the chateau interior, along with a map.”  She told them.  She pressed the two items into Ladybug’s hands.  “The locks inside are color-coded.  Match colored keys to colored locks.”  She gave a pause, and then pulled out another key ring. 

“This is the master key ring.  This key will open that gate right there.” She told them pointing at a tiny side gate in the wall surrounding the moat.  “From there my keys will get you into nearly any room in the castle.”

Ladybug blinked.  “Thank you.”  Was all she could muster.

“Thank you.  Get that poor man out of my castle.”  The assistant curator sprinted off.  _Looking for some actual cover, what with this guy actually shooting guns and grenades at us, no doubt._

Moments later the two were entering through a side door, with Chat tucking away the keys in a pocket that Ladybug could have sworn had never been on his suit before.  _Magic is handy stuff to have on your side, isn’t it._

For several minutes the Duo wove through the passages of the Chateau, looking and listening intently for the akuma.  But all was quiet.

“He’s waiting in ambush. “ Chat whispered.

‘I know.” Ladybug replied, equally quietly.  “But the odds we will find him by just wandering around is pretty small.  I bet when he’s ready he will issue a challenge… and we’ll have to go after him.”

For five further minutes the two slipped through the cold stone passages, past offices, storage rooms, and even a few securely locked chambers.  Then, the announcement system squealed to life.

“Ladybug.  Chat Noir.”  The akuma’s voice growled out of the loudspeakers hidden in the castle’s alcoves and dark corners.  “Come to the Renaissance Gallery.  Give me your Miraculous there…or I will take them from you.”

Ladybug glanced at the map.  The gallery was inside one of the upper floors of the main keep.  The Duo could be there in a few minutes.

“Well.”  Chat rubbed his head nervously next to his notched cat-ear.  “Jet’s go see what he has planned.”

“I wish this map had some of the smaller passages detailed on it.  I don’t see a way to not enter through the main gate of the room.”  Ladybug scowled at the colorful tourist map of the Chateau.

“LB,” Chat grinned, “It will be fine.  I’ll go first, trigger the trap, and then you rescue me.  It has always worked before, and it will work now.”

“Yes.” She quietly responded.  “It’s just…he’s clearly way more powerful than any akuma before.  I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I will be fine.  You and the Miraculous Cure can fix me.” Chat gave her a grin that only partly concealed his matching concern, and then bounded off as Ladybug struggled with a response.  _We’ve never had to use it on ourselves before.  I don’t know it will work._

The Duo were soon peering together around the corner of the main entry of the Renaissance Room.  The huge double-wide doorway peered into a large space, with armored suits – some fancy, some practical - lining the walls.  Lances, spears, and swords adorned holding racks in careful lines around the room, with a single huge bronze cannon sitting in the dead center, it’s ominous cave of a muzzle pointed at the main door.  Above the armored suits, tapestries and heraldic banners hung unmoving in the dead, unmoving air of the chamber.  Huge arches in the walls kept the roof aloft – and provided hiding places between the armored suits.  On the far side of the room, another closed dual door stood – the only other apparent entry.

Ladybug glanced over at Chat, to see him looking back at her.  They didn’t need telepathy to know what the other was thinking.  _Trap_.

Ladybug slipped slightly further behind the door-frame as Chat stepped forward.  One step, then two, then three and four –

With a tremendous roar, the cannon fired.  Shrapnel and langrage filled the doorway, with Chat squarely in the middle of it.  White smoke billowed as the black-suited superhero was flung back out the door, his body slamming into the stone wall with a bone-shattering SMACK.  The dense cloud of smoke obscured Ladybug’s vision a moment later, but somehow she knew – Top Sargent was in the smoke, and if she didn’t move fast, he would have the Cat Miraculous. 

Ladybug threw her yo-yo into the smoke, concentrating on her partner’s last known location.  She felt the yo-yo connect with something, and yanked on the string.  She heard Chat yelp as the string went taut, and a moment later Chat flew out of the smoke, yo-yo tangled around his right ankle – with the green and brown akuma gripping him firmly by the shoulders as one hand grabbed at the black ring.

Chat looked horrible.  His suit had over a dozen new rants, bare skin showing in holes across the front of his arms, torso, and legs.  Even his mask was missing a slice.  But he struggled madly against the larger akuma, desperate to free himself so he would not lose his Miraculous. 

Ladybug launched a kick as Top Sargent, who hurled Chat into the path of the kick.  She halted the kick just short of her partner, but the move had weakened Top Sargent’s grip and Chat managed to free an arm.  Moments later the two were wrestling on much more even terms, rolling into a rack of polearms – which toppled onto them with a tremendous clatter.  Top Sargent cursed, and then a steel cylinder simply appeared out of thin air in his hand.  He slammed it into the ground, and it began to smoke as Chat made a grab for the worn patch – but the akuma rolled away from the strike as blue smoke exploded out of the can, filling the chamber with its haze in moments.  There was a few more moments of wrestling, then Chat smashed into a pair of fancy armored suits with a metallic clatter.

Ladybug, unable to see in the smoke, rushed toward her partner, only barely able to avoid tripping on toppled polearms.  ”Chat!”

“Lost him.”  Chat replied shakily.  “He hits hard, LB – and this smoke is hard to see in – look out!”

Ladybug caught the movement out of the corner of her eye as Top Sargent came hurtling out of the smoke, a heavy-looking truncheon held in his hands.  She just managed to roll with the first strike as it slammed into her shoulder blade, sending her tumbling way from Chat with a fresh ache along her back.  She dodged another swing, then another, but was caught off guard when the next swing proved to be a feint and a rocklike fist slammed into her jaw. 

Ladybug, dazed, stumbled over a sword rack, sending it crashing to the floor and getting tangled up in its wooden frame,  She shook her head to try and clear it as the blue smoke swirled around, then a hand made of unyielding steel grabbed her by the back of her neck and lifted her off the ground. 

“I’ll just take those earrings, miss.”  growled Top Sargent.

 _No!_  Ladybug lashed back behind herself with a kick, where she knew the akuma must be, but connected with only air.

“No.”  Chat’s voice was pained, but angry.  She felt Top Sargent shudder as Chat hit him with his baton, then she was free, falling face-first back into the tangled wreckage of the sword display.  As she untangled herself she could hear Chat’s baton and the akuma’s truncheon slamming into each other, and as she turned to the fight she could see magical sparks flying as the two weapons crashed into each other.

And, dimly in the smoke, she could see Top Sargent’s old, dilapidated patch on his near shoulder.  The akumatized item.

She reached out to grab it, but the experienced warrior twisted out of reach, caught her partner’s baton in one hand, and then used it to hurl Chat at Ladybug.  Ladybug managed to catch Chat as the akuma gave an evil chuckle and vanished into the blue smoke. 

“You OK, Chat?” she asked breathlessly.

“Winded and bruised only, My Lady.  You?”  Chat sounded a little worn, but still himself. 

“Much the same.  Still, I’d like to finish this one.”  She carefully raised her partner back onto his feet.  “Let’s see what I can conjure to help us.”

“OK.  I’ll watch for Plastic Army Man.”  Chat settled into a crouch, his tattered tail lashing as he scanned the swirling blue dimness.

“ **Lucky Charm**!”  Ladybug paused, confused, as what appeared to be a water balloon appeared in her hands.  “What the… is he afraid to get wet?”

Chat looked at the balloon for a moment, blinking owlishly in the murk.  “It isn’t sloshing like water.  Too thick.”

“Then what could it – CHAT!”  Ladybug yelped in surprise as Chat was suddenly yanked back into the gloom, his moment of distraction providing their opponent with an opening.   Beyond her sight, she heard Chat snarl, and then a clatter as another display was smashed flat by one or both combatants. 

Ladybug glanced around; hoping something – anything – would jump out at her.

And then, in her sight, a few things did.  Chat blinked in the murk as he pulled himself free of more wreckage; a further, un-smashed polearm display; a rope to *something* on the far wall, and the balloon in her hand.  It lasted only a moment, but Ladybug abruptly knew what to do.

“Chat!  There’s a line maybe thirty feet to your right.  Cut it!”  She called out, sprinting for the polearm rack, trusting her luck that she would not trip on an obstacle.

“ **Cataclysm**!”  she heard her partner reply.

Abruptly she stopped.  Top Sargent loomed in front of her, now holding the truncheon.

“I’m not dumb enough to get caught under a tapestry.” he mocked.  “Time to surrender your Miraculous.”

Ladybug wound up the liquid-filled balloon, and waited.  She did not have to wait long.  The tapestry’s support bar, whose support line Chat’s Cataclysm had just dissolved, slammed into the stone floor with a mighty clang and rebounded into the polearm rack.  The rack shattered, sending polearms tumbling all over Top Sargent, knocking the akuma to the floor and leaving him lying there, briefly stunned – and then she threw the balloon at him.  It burst as it struck a glaive, and the liquid – actually a very dense adhesive – promptly coated Top Sargent, the polearms, and the floors, gluing them all together into one immobile mass.

Amazingly, the dilapidated patch remained glue free – another bit of Ladybug’s Luck, no doubt.  Ladybug reached down, tore it off Top Sargent’s jacket, and then easily ripped it in half, freeing the blackened butterfly.  A quick toss of the yo-yo later, and the akuma was purified. 

She needed Chat’s help to pull the split remains of the balloon off the glaive, but once she had it she launched it into the air with the cry of “Miraculous Ladybug!” to fix everything.  The ladybugs appeared, rushed everywhere – and all that changed was that the smoke cleared, andthe akuma on the floor returned to normal, now a semi-conscious homeless man under a pile of polearms.

Ladybug looked at Chat.  His suit was still tattered, and now both ears were notched.  His tail resembled a ragged banner rather than a fine belt.  Ladybug could feel where her suit had a dozen similar openings from where she had taken blows during the battle. 

“It…didn’t work?” Chat sounded confused.

“It didn’t work.” breathed Ladybug, sudden terror gripping her.

Her Miraculous sounded its first warning – that she was running out of time.  BEEP BEEP BEEP.

“Oh, it worked.” Said a chilled voice behind them, near the door they had entered through.  A familiar voice.  “But you have more to purify first, or the Cure will remain incomplete.”

The Duo spun to face the speaker, who stood blocking the door. 

Hawkmoth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fell off the writing bandwagon after spending most of a month too sick to think. Trying to get back into the swing of things.  
> Guys, if you have even the slightest idea you might have mental health issues, get thyself a shrink! I did not realize how badly I needed one.  
> I hope to have the next chapter up on 8/18/17. As it's not written yet this is uncertain. The two chapters after that are done, though, so you can expect at least two on-time updates after that.  
> Also, I could not find out just what is in the Chateau. So I had to invent the interior from whole cloth, as it were. I suspect I have badly misrepresented the place, but I hope to return to Paris and visit the place properly someday.


	21. Witnesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eagle and Weasel watch as it all unravels. 
> 
> Hawkmoth watches as his plan unfolds the way he expected.

PART 19: JEREMY

Golden Eagle perched atop the highest tower of the Hospital Begin, watching the Château with an intensity he knew he had not matched since some of his earliest stakeouts.  Beside him hovered one of Weasel’s recon drones, it’s four tiny propellers whirring gently in the Parisian breeze.  He had arrived just in time to see the Duo enter the castle, and now he sat and quietly hoped.

“None of my drones have caught any of them leaving.  They must still be tangling with this akuma.” Weasel’s drone buzzed.  Eagle nodded, knowing she had a veritable squadron of the tiny drones circling the place, intent on catching any of the action they could – but inside the confines of the castle, the distraction of a drone could prove costly to the kids, so she had elected to keep them outside the Château. 

A long moment passed, but then the drone hovered over to float in front of his face.  “You’re worried for them.” Weasel noted.

“So young… so idealistic.  So different than how we ended up in this business.” He rumbled at the drone.  “So yeah, I’m worried… but logically I am sure they will be fine.  They have come so far these past few months.  This akuma… looks like he was a combat veteran, and he is clearly acting like a very highly trained soldier.  Exactly the kind of akuma I know would have overwhelmed them a few months ago.  Now though… now I am sure they can win.” 

“Logically.” Buzzed the drone.

“I would not be very human if I didn’t worry for my students.”  Eagle growled.  He cracked his knuckles nervously as he continued to stare at the castle.

“True.”  A note of affection was audible as the drone rose up to tap its belly on the top of his head.  “Good thing we both know you’re a worrier to put any other worrier to shame.”

“Yeah.  I even put you to shame in that department, darling.”  Eagle turned to follow the drone’s flight behind him – and froze.  “Weasel… do you see that?”

“Where?” the drone rotated, looking back at him. 

“Ahh, heading 310, roughly, moving east.” Eagle pointed at the tiny fluttering thing he had spotted.   The drone spun to the heading, and hovered for a moment.

“Do I see an akumatized butterfly?” Weasel's drone crackled from the on-board speaker.

“That’s what I see… wait, I see another one.  There’s several more…oh, God.”  Eagle could only stare as purple fluttering specks began to float out of the skyline, pouring out of the main city center in the hundreds.

And every single one was headed for the Château.

The drone continued to hover.  A wail came from its speaker as Weasel realized what was going on.  “That’s why there is so much energy in the City.  Why I could not localize any one point.  Hawkmoth has been stockpiling them across the city!”

“Hawkmoth is coming to the Château.” Eagle realized.  “He’s making his play for the Miraculous…in person, I bet.  I have to warn the kids.  I have to-“ he froze as a flock of ladybugs whirled by, the evidence that Ladybug has used the Miraculous Cure.

He looked back at the fluttering akuma horde.  The flock and the horde passed right through each other – and ignored each other completely.    

“Oh no.  They have used their Miraculous Power.  They are vulnerable.”  Eagle realized.

The drone spun to him.  “If Hawkmoth is there… he’ll kill you.” Weasel gasped.

“I know.”  Eagle stared at the Château.  “But if I don’t go… the world is lost.”

“Please…” the drone whispered. 

“Amanda.”  He replied.  “I love you.”  He dropped his gaze, and opened his arms.  The glittering wings of the Eagle flared to life.  “But an Eagle has to do what an Eagle has to do.  For Honor.”

“Launching combat drones.  I love you.” The tiny machine whispered as it floated, somehow transmitting the despair of its controller. 

“I love you.” Eagle replied, and dove off the roof, wings locked into the best gliding position as he followed the purple horde toward the Château. 

HAWKMOTH

“I made sure to extensively block the far doors.” Hawkmoth told the two shocked teens.  “You will not be getting out that way quickly.  As for this door, well… You’ll have to go through me.  And time is on my side.”

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Chat dropped into a forward combat stance.  “We can take him, Ladybug.  I’ll go first.”

Hawkmoth laughed cruelly.  “I’ve been doing this for decades, boy.  And both of you are worn out.  I am fresh.  You stand no chance.  Just give me your Miraculous – both of you – and I will let you leave unharmed.  I’ll even promise to leave your families alone.  I am a man of my word.”

“No.” Ladybug replied.  “We know about the Dark Time, Hawkmoth.  I have no intention of letting such horror happen again.”  She had also assumed a combat stance, then twitched her head to indicate she would follow Chat’s lead.  Chat immediately lunged.

“Pity.”  Hawkmoth inclined his head forward slightly – and his waiting akuma horde burst through the door, filling the room and assailing the teens. 

Anyone else would have had a hard time seeing what was going on inside the swirling mass of fluttering purple wings, but Hawkmoth could see and feel every bit of it.  His own magic was no obstacle to him.  Butterfly after butterfly struck the two heroes.  Where they hit functional suit, they blew to dust, rarely doing much, but stealing energy from the Miraculous of the struck wielder.

Where they touched bare skin, though, they scorched the unlucky teen.  The butterfly still vanished to dust as the magical energy discharged, but the target shrieked in pain as, for the first time, they suffered pain despite the protections of their magical suit. 

Chat lost control of his lunge and crashed to the floor at Hawkmoth’s feet.  Ladybug managed one step forward before she crumbled to the floor.  Both wailed as the horrifying swarm continued the assault, pain wracking them for long seconds.

“I was hoping to avoid this… but I expected your defiance.” Hawkmoth sneered.  “A very great pity.  In a few minutes you will be de-transformed and too hurt to resist as I take your Miraculous.  Until then, you get to suffer as I have.”

A yo-yo whipped out of the cloud of akuma covering Ladybug, wrapping around Chat Noir’s left boot.  A yank dragged him back out of his own cloud, which dutifully followed him as he ended up sliding to a halt next to Ladybug.

“Chat!  Backs together, we need to thin the swarm!” she screamed through blistered lips.

“On it!” he hollered back, his face just as covered in welts as hers.

Hawkmoth leaned forward on his cane to watch.  There was no way they would defeat all the akuma in the … hmm, four minutes they had left.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

_I have won!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are times it really sucks to be a superhero. You can't always choose what you want.
> 
> Posting a day early as I will not be near my PC tomorrow.
> 
> Next update is on 8/25/17.


	22. For Honor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eagle arrives. The Battle in the Chateau continues.

PART 20: JEREMY

Eagle streaked through the exhibits of the Château of Vincennes, following the trailing tendrils of the horde of akumas.  They swirled through doorways ahead of him, fluttering with implacable purpose towards a battle that even now could be the end of the world.

 _Please don’t be too late; please don’t be too late…_   Eagle passed through a doorway that had clearly left open by either Hawkmoth or the Duo, the brush of akuma wings that filled the doorway making him shiver with the dark power he could feel crackling in each one with every touch.  But then he could hear it – the cries of the Duo as they fought frantically to escape.  Part of him felt pride as he could hear them talking to each other, refusing to panic, trying to coordinate even past their cries of pain as the fight continued.

There was another, more ominous sound too.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

_Oh no.  They are nearly out of time… No time to dawdle, Jeremy, get in there!_

Jeremy summoned his shield and raced down the hall, shattering exhibits that got in the way as he used the shield to simply shove his way past the fluttering horde of akuma.  Moments later he stood in the center of the narrow entry, assessing the scene with the speed of decades of practice.

Near the back of the stone room, Ladybug and Chat Noir were back to back, yo-yo and staff spinning defensively as they held off the flapping horde of akuma.  The yo-yo was clearly sucking in and purifying akuma after akuma, and the white butterflies fluttered away from the scene as if dazed, seeking an exit from the stone room.  Both had a number of what appeared to be burn blisters on their faces, and even through their heavily damaged suits, blood slowly leaking from the injuries.  The akuma themselves filled the room, many surrounding the two heroes while others fluttered in the corners, streaming down to fill in the gaps opened by Ladybug’s yo-yo.  A short distance in front of Eagle, facing the Duo, and his back to Eagle, stood Hawkmoth.  The slender villain was leaning casually on his cane, his very pose mocking the heroes attempt at defiance.

 _The kids are bleeding!_   _Somehow the akuma themselves can harm the Duo!  They must be very low on time.  Their defenses are failing.  I must distract Hawkmoth, maybe that will get the akumas off them._

The shield vanished as Eagle dropped it, and the dual _canne_ appeared in his hands.  A single forward lunge brought both _canne_ down onto the back Hawkmoth’s neck with all the force Eagle could put into the overhead chop.  Hawkmoth was slammed forward by the force of the impact, a startled gasp erupting from his lips as the floor rushed up to greet his face.  Eagle crashed down atop the villain’s legs, trying to hold him in place even as he began to rain a rapid-fire series of blows onto Hawkmoth’s head.

“GET OUT!” He shouted at the Duo.  “RUN!  I GOT THIS!”

The akumas still swirled around the room, but now it was a confused, uncertain, leaderless mass.  Chat took one step towards the downed villain, but the sound of his Miraculous beeping filled the room again.

“Only one dot left.” Ladybug slurred through her burned face.  “Run.”  She half- bolted, half limped for the doorway.

Chat hissed in frustration, and then almost drunkenly wheeled after his Lady out the open door, even as the first Weasel drone appeared in it, a slender reconnaissance model. 

Eagle scarcely noticed.  He was busy pounding on Hawkmoth’s head, who he could hear was snarling something beneath him.  _It doesn’t matter.  I must buy the Duo time, they must escape!_

Then, the akumas were on him.  Searing, burning energy surged into him from every angle, his magical defenses blunting the attack but failing to entirely stop it.  Butterfly after butterfly crumbled to dust as it struck him, but the dark energy they possessed slashed into him like tiny, heated knives.  Eagle roared in shock and surprise, dropping the _cannes_ for his shield and jitte, frantically trying to fend of the horde of purple wings.  The butterflies could not penetrate the shield but more snuck by, burning him over and over.

So focused was Eagle on this new threat that it was only Weasel’s cry of “Block low!” that gave him any warning of the next attack.  Even so, he was unable to block as Hawkmoth’s fist slammed into his ribs, sending him flying across the room to crash in a heap next to a suit of armor that has somehow stood untouched through the battle that has so far raged through the exhibit.  

 _OK, that was dumb of me._   _Think I got off pretty lightly…I can still move._ Eagle climbed to his feet.  Halfway across the room, Hawkmoth did the same as his akuma coiled around him, a fluttering horde of magical pain.  Eagle felt his heart drop as he looked at the tall, slender man.  _He isn’t hurt at all.  His suit isn’t even mussed, hell, every hair on his head is still in place.  I am so dead._

“Golden Eagle.”  The name dripped contempt as Hawkmoth gave his adversary a single, contemptuous look.  “A meddling Power Stone user. “  Hawkmoth harrumphed at him, his blue gaze icy and hateful.  “You have cost me a great deal of effort today.”  Hawkmoth leaned down and picked up his dropped cane, holding it in both hands. 

“I know what happened the last time someone got their hands on the whole Duo, Hawkmoth.  I won’t let another Dark Time happen while I live.”  Eagle replied.  He dropped back into a defensive crouch behind his glittering shield. 

“That simplifies things.”  Hawkmoth twisted the cane, and then pulled off the body, revealing a silver-shining rapier blade.  He tossed aside the sheath and took up a guard stance.  “No Power Stone in the world can match up to the strength of a Miraculous.”

“Not likely, no.”  Agreed Eagle.  “But the Duo are about to de-transform, and vanish back into the civilians of Paris.  Even if I only last one minute… they escape.  And you will never get an opportunity like this again.”

“The Cat and Ladybug Miraculous will be mine.  Their injuries will make them stand out.  Neither those kids nor any other meddling Power Stone will stop me.  As for those who oppose me- “Hawkmoth lunged, point first. 

Eagle caught the blade with his shield.  A sound that somehow combined the scream of steel with the frying sound of an electric discharge filled the room as the point was turned aside, leaving a long scratch in the shimmering surface of the shield.  Eagle tried to trap the rapier with the jitte, but Hawkmoth pulled it free with casual ease and came slashing in again, and again, and again.  Eagle caught each blow with his shield or jitte, and both were soon scarred with the reminders of every blow.  Hawkmoth’ unblemished rapier darted in again, and again.  Eagle slowly backed around the room as the blows sliced in.

_This isn’t working.  He holds the initiative, has better defenses and more power.  I lose if this keeps up.  I need to disengage, and then attack… how…aha!_

The armored suit was coming abreast of them.  Eagle lashed out with one foot, catching the armor squarely and sending it toppling onto Hawkmoth.  It took but a moment for Hawkmoth to brush the mundane obstacle aside before it struck him, but in that moment Eagle planted the kicking foot onto the stone wall and launched himself into the center of the room.  Shield and jitte vanished in flight, and when he landed Eagle was again holding the dual _canne_.  He reversed momentum instantly and slammed both _canne_ into Hawkmoth’s startled face, sending him jolting backwards from the force of the impact.  Eagle kept up the barrage for several seconds, striking at knees, face, and chest in rapid sequence, keeping Hawkmoth off balance as each blow struck.

But just like before, the blows might rock the powerful villain, but they did him no harm.  Hawkmoth snarled something incoherent and brought his shining blade around as he caught his composure, and Eagle was soon spinning and weaving as he dodged the glittering blade as it slashed, stabbed, and chopped at him.  _Canne_ strikes continued to score on Hawkmoth, but he ignored them as an elephant ignores an angry grasshopper and kept his blows coming.  Eagle was soon completely on the defensive, using wall kicks to help change direction rapidly as he dodged around the room, sending what few exhibits had survived the battle with Top Sargent into ruin as he used them as cover against Hawkmoth’s blade. 

Hawkmoth suddenly stopped chasing him.  Eagle skidded to a stop, panting from the effort.  He glanced down at his ring as was quite disturbed to see it was more the dark reddish color of rust and not its usual shiny self.  _I’m running out of energy.  I need to escape.  I hope I bought the kids enough time._

Hawkmoth made a dismissive gesture at Eagle, and the Akuma swarm that had been waiting in the rafters came swirling down to engulf Eagle.  Again the searing pain struck at him as he turned to flee for the exit – which Hawkmoth beat him to a moment later.  Eagle dropped his left _canne_ in favor of the shield, catching the first blow with the now extensively cracked and translucent magical barrier.  Hawkmoth laughed, voice dripping with malice.  Eagle could scarcely see him past the purple veil of wings.

“You cannot hope to escape, Eagle.” He crowed.  “I’ll add your Stone to my collection of items, and it will help me secure the Duo –“

Hawkmoth’s sentence was interrupted as something whipped around his head, sending the villain careening forward.  Eagle didn’t know what it was – he couldn’t see – but the muffled ‘oomph!” Hawkmoth let out told him something had happened.

Then, music to his ears:  Weasel.  “RUN, YOU DAMNED FOOL!”

Eagle hurled himself over the prone form of Hawkmoth, who was busy trying to pry a set of bolas off his head, which had been fired by a large combat drone that hovered in the corridor outside.  The akumas, again freed from Hawkmoth’s direction, fluttered aside as Eagle fled down the corridor. 

_I’m gonna make it, I’m going to escape –_

Hawkmoth shouted an oath behind him and then, searing pain tore into Eagle’s right leg.  Eagle fell as his leg buckled from the force of something hitting him.  He rolled to absorb the impact of the floor, ending his roll by smashing yet another display of priceless artifacts.  He looked back and saw Hawkmoth’s rapier – the end darkened with blood.  His blood.  Beyond, Hawkmoth, free of the bola, advanced implacably, his icy gaze promising oblivion. 

Eagle looked at his right leg.  A slash had been opened along his right calf, right through his suit’s normally impervious hide.  Eagle gritted his teeth and managed to stand, the throbbing of his leg serious but he found he could stand. 

 _Running and dodging?_   _Well, hopefully._   A throb of pain as he shifted his weight told another story.  _No, not gonna go fast with that._  

Hawkmoth picked up the rapier, and advanced, his akumas swirling threateningly behind him.  More Weasel-drones, most of them fitted for combat, now floated into the shattered room.  Eagle counted seven combat drones.  _Well, that might help._

“Foolish man, stupid machines.”  Hawkmoth brandished the sword at Eagle.  “Time to die.”

“I’m so sorry, my love.”  Eagle said to Weasel through her audios.  “I think I may have finally overcommitted.  My leg’s too hurt to run.”  He slid into a defensive pose, shield and jitte ready, determined to make a good go of it.

Hawkmoth laughed cruelly, and started forward.  And then a surprising noise filled the room.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What, did you really think I'd let anything really bad happen to our Duo? I have more story to tell still!
> 
> Next update is 9/1/2017.


	23. Vengeance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eagle tries to turn the tables on Hawkmoth. Hawkmoth returns the favor.

PART 21: JEREMY

As the sound of the Moth Miraculous singing its warning cry, the two men froze.  Hawkmoth glanced down at his brooch, where one of the four wings that normally branched off it had vanished.  Eagle shifted his weight, seeking the point where his wounded leg would give him the best balance.  The threatening cloud of fluttering akuma coiled in the doorway behind Hawkmoth, clearly awaiting instructions.  The seven drones spread out around, above, and behind Eagle, similarly awaiting orders from their distant controller. 

Hawkmoth looked up at Eagle with a snarl.  Eagle gave him a grim smile.

“You have less than five minutes, villain.  Perhaps you should flee.” Grated the electronic voice of Weasel.

“Your so-called hero will be dead in less than four.”  Hawkmoth replied, and resumed his advance across the shattered exhibits that filled the hall. 

Eagle gritted his teeth against the pain, and then spoke.  “Weasel.  No matter what happens, no matter where he goes…keep a drone on him.  Getting the Duo his true identity-“ 

“Look out!” cried Weasel, as Hawkmoth lunged in, rapier leading.

Eagle’s shield rose and again caught the rapier’s point, bending it away in a shower of sparks and a horrible screeching noise.  Eagle’s _jitte_ riposted with lightning speed, cracking Hawkmoth cleanly on the nose  - and again the weapon simply bounced off, leaving Hawkmoth unfazed .

The rapier darted in again, and again, slashing and stabbing at Eagle, leaving mark after mark on the increasingly cracked and opaque shield.  Eagle was forced steadily back, slowly backing around obstacles as Hawkmoth pressed in. 

Robbed of his mobility, Eagle knew he could not stand up to this sort of pounding long.  He could feel the ring pulsing as it lost energy, as the sheer might of Hawkmoth’s Miraculous gashed away whatever reserves it had left.  _But what else can I do?  I can’t run, I can’t dodge very well, and my attacks don’t even faze him._

Then his lamed leg caught on the edge of a toppled exhibit.  With a shout he toppled backwards as Hawkmoth smote his shield again, crashing onto the floor, his defenses dropped as Hawkmoth raised the rapier for a finishing blow.

A simple snapping noise was Hawkmoth’s only warning.  A bola, fired by a drone, tangled his sword-arm and threw off his aim.  A moment later two tiny darts caught in his hair, and potent electric current scorched the villain as the same drone struck at him with the full might of a Tazer that Weasel had mounted on the drone.  Hawkmoth dropped as his muscles trembled in the grip of the arcing voltage.

Eagle stumbled to his feet, but was only just regaining his balance when Hawkmoth grabbed the wires leading back to the drone, and pulled the hovering machine into reach, then sliced the drone in half with a single swing.  As the shattered drone crashed to the floor, Hawkmoth’s undamaged visage again turned to Eagle.  “Not bad, for a mere bit of technology.” Hawkmoth growled.  “But still futile.”

“You’ll find I’m full of surprises.” Weasel’s electronic voice jibed back. 

“Surprise this.” Hawkmoth snarled, and the akuma swarm raced forward, dark energy crackling on their wings now as they raced forward. 

Eagle dropped back onto his spine as the swarm engulfed him, covering himself as completely as he could against the purple and black horde.  Even so, they found the gaps where the shield could not completely cover him and knifelike, burning stabs to Eagle’s arms, legs, hands, and feet.  Only a frantic defense of his face with the jitte saved his face from harm as the swarm vented it’s fury on him. 

Suddenly, through the horde, Eagle saw Hawkmoth step over him, rapier raised high for a strike.  “Amanda!” he cried out, hoping that she would either save him – or that his last word would be her name.

Another bola swept into view, carrying Hawkmoth’s rapier away before another blast of Tazer energy made him stagger.  Hawkmoth again grabbed the wires and this time hauled the drone into reach, and then used it as a club to batter at Jeremy’s shield while the akumas continued to blister him.  When that drone was broken beyond any hope of repair Hawkmoth flung it at a third drone, the impact sending the third drone hurtling to the floor as well. 

And then, abruptly, every single akuma turned white and fluttered away from Jeremy.  They were, again, just butterflies.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

“He’s beeped three times now, Eagle.”  Weasel’s voice buzzed.  “I’ve been keeping track while you were busy.  Funny, it seems to be happening at a very accelerated rate.”

“Accelerated.” Gasped Eagle.  “Right.”  He didn’t dare look at himself.  Every fiber of his being screamed pain.  Somewhere along the line the jitte had been shattered, its energy form refusing to coalesce when he commanded it to.  He dropped it and summoned a _canne_ , but it, too, was shattered _.  I’ve lost too much energy to form these weapons.  I wonder if the shield will stand up to any more abuse._   

He dropped the _canne_ and summoned the Stone’s other natural weapon – the gladius, sword of the Roman legionary.  This appeared intact, unscathed, but it was more opaque than Eagle recalled _.  I doubt it will stand up to much abuse.  Still, it’s what I’ve got._

Hawkmoth had picked up his rapier and was again advancing on Eagle, his gaze no longer cold and controlled but wild with fury.  “This is not possible.”  He snarled at Eagle.  “I have pushed the Miraculous to its very limits, pushed magic to its very limits – and yet not only have you foiled my plan but you refuse to die!”

Eagle stared at the man as he continued to close.  _I’d love to make a snarky remark, but everything hurts too much to think straight._

The rapier is raised again.  Shield and sword rise to meet it. 

On the third blow, the shield dissolves away into nothingness.  Two drones fire bolas, ensnaring Hawkmoth’s sword arm and legs, and then try to fry Hawkmoth, buying Eagle time to get clear as the seething villain again captures and shatters both drones.  Another drone zips into the room as Hawkmoth again resumes his advance on Eagle, this one a small recon model – unarmed but more nimble than the heavy combat drones. 

Then Hawkmoth stopped.  For a long moment he stared at Eagle.  Then he smiled cruelly.

“I take it ‘Amanda’ is the one with these…toys.  Well, you’ll be happy to know I’ve decided she’s a real threat.  And I can feel her fear… and I know where she is, now.  I’ll pay her a visit when I’m done with you.  It’ll be a nice, long… arduous visit.”  Hawkmoth sneered.

Eagle felt fear spike through him.  _No.  Not my Amanda._

Following fear came anger.  _Not.  My.  Amanda._

“ **Amanda**.” Pain vanished.  Heat seemed to sear him once again, but this time Jeremy welcomed the feeling, the rushing sense of power and invincibility.  Even as the final wing vanished from Hawkmoth’s brooch with a set of beeps, Eagle, now suited in bloody red and holding only a crimson blade, lunged at the man who dared to threaten  her.

The rapier tore through Eagle’s left shoulder, punching clear out the back in a shower of blood as the red blade slammed into Hawkmoth’s gut.  But again Hawkmoth was unfazed as the crimson blade bounced off with a high ringing noise and a shower of brilliant sparks.  Eagle and Hawkmoth stepped back, freeing the rapier, which then stabbed in again, this time stabbing a hole in Eagle’s gut as the red blade slammed into Hawkmoth’s chest.  Again the blade rebounded – but a single lapel of the suit drifted free, cut by the edge of the red blade. 

The two men stepped back, then stabbed in again – Hawkmoth stabbing Eagle in the other shoulder, while Eagle slashed open a hole in Hawkmoth’s waistcoat, but again could not damage the man protected by the Miraculous magic. 

Twice more the two stabbed and separated, leaving Eagle with a hole in each thigh and Hawkmoth missing part of his off arm’s sleeve and the knee of one pant leg – but while blood flowed freely on Eagle, Hawkmoth remained uncut. 

As Hawkmoth raised his blade again, however, the final two drones struck, one bola carrying off the blade while the other tangled his legs.  Two Tasers jolted him with their fury as Eagle lunged in, his blade raised for what should have been a killing blow.

But all Hawkmoth lost was a lock of hair as the blade slammed down on his head.  The next blow crashed into the stone floor, cracking it's stony surface as the villain rolled towards his rapier.  Eagle pursued, but even with the red fire of **Vengeance** pushing him his vision was beginning to waver. 

Hawkmoth snapped the bola tangling his legs with a single effort, grabbed his rapier, and managed to slash Eagle’s torso across the ribs as the red blade slammed down on his legs, ripping open the pant leg but still doing Hawkmoth himself no harm.  Hawkmoth deflected the next blow as he rose to his feet, then stabbed again into Eagle’s gut once more as the red blade struck again.  

Eagle gasped, and the fire faded. 

Then he de-transformed.  Jeremy stood there,  just a man with a Miraculous rapier in his intestines, blood running freely from eight critical injuries and countless lesser ones.

Hawkmoth pulled the rapier free.  Jeremy swayed a moment, his gaze never leaving Hawkmoth – who had a single bloody cut on his chin, where the red blade had finally made a mark. 

Then he collapsed.  He distantly heard Amanda scream his name.  He tried to get up – she’d expect him to get up – but his body didn’t seem to want to respond.  It was so dark, too…

The darkness claimed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn it all, Jeremy. I rather liked writing you.
> 
> Oh well, I guess Amanda will get to have some actual screen time.
> 
> On a completely different note... Happy Force Friday!
> 
> Next update... when it's done. Hopefully 9/8/2017.


	24. Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has a surprising visitor.

PART 22: MARINETTE

“Owwww.”  Marinette lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling from her lounging chair.  Tikki sat atop her left shoulder, the tiny being hugged tight to the side of her neck.  A half-eaten plate of cookies was nearby, atop Mari’s desk.

“Yeah.  Just hold still, Marinette, I’m fixing the damage as fast as I can.”  Tikki chirped.  Even that sounded tired. 

“I know, Tikki.  I hope Plagg can do something similar for Chat.  He was even more beat up than I am.”  Marinette winced as she recalled the incredibly battered look of Chat as he had fled down a different alley while they escaped.  She raised an arm and looked at it.  The slash that had been opened on it by a particularly vicious akuma strike was just a fading red line now – but she could still feel the aches of multiple such wounds in multiple places on her body. 

“He can.” Tikki replied.  “It’s not his strength, though.  Chat’s going to be hurting for quite a while.”

Marinette groaned.  “I wish we could help him.”

“If we knew who Chat was, we could just go to him.”  Tikki replied softly.  “Plagg and I together would have you two back in shape in no time.”

“Now you tell me.” Marinette gave a sigh.  “Let me guess: no point telling us until it was needed or we revealed our identities to each other?”

“That’s the answer.”  Tikki floated up from her perch, and floated towards the cookies.  “Need a recharge.  Be right back.”

“At least my parents are out on a dinner date.  If they had been home I don’t think they would have missed my return.”  Marinette winced as she recalled the distinctly ungraceful nature of her arrival at the house, already untransformed with a famished Tikki in her bag, limping and leaking blood from a score of blistered wounds. 

“Ladybug’s luck.” Tikki replied.  She scooped up a particularly large cookie. 

“I wonder how Hawkmoth got so much power. “ Marinette groaned.  “That attack was gigantic.”

“I don’t know, Mari.” Tikki replied around a mouthful of cookie.  “It was well beyond anything I’ve ever seen any of the regular Miraculous do.  He must have stolen the energy from somewhere.”

“Stolen it?  How does one steal magic energy?”  Mari rolled onto one of her sides, wincing as this renewed every single one of her aches. 

Tikki was busy gulping down another cookie, but just before she cleared her throat a new sound interrupted them.

thwump thwump thwump

Tikki dove away from the cookies, as something was whacking the window right next to her with rhythmic speed.  In a moment she was out of sight as Mari slowly rose from the lounge and approached the window. 

Mari peered out the window… and there hovered a slender Weasel-drone. 

Upon her entering its view, the drone drifted forward and struck at the window with one of its propellers, creating the thumping nose from a moment earlier.  But this time when it back off, Mari saw it had left something like a large suction cup stuck to the window.

“Ladybug.”  Weasel’s voice was even more distorted than usual, vibrating straight out of the glass pane, but understandable. 

Mari paled, and backed away from the window.  _She knows!_

“Open the window.” Weasel transmitted. “This is no way to have a secure conversation.”

Mari looked around frantically.  _Oh no, oh no, oh no…_

“Your partner is going to need you.” Weasel grated.  “Open the damn window.”

Having Chat invoked was like having cold water thrown on her panic.  Mari stiffened, took a deep breath, and opened the window.  The drone promptly hovered in, unsealing the suction cup device with a muted pop. 

“We need to talk, Ladybug.”  The drone twisted around to face her.  “I’ve got information you need, and I will give it to you and Chat, together, at my hotel room tonight.”

“You…you know who Chat is?  How did you find us out?”  Marinette demanded, her initial shock fading to anger.

“It’s not very safe to broadcast that over a wireless signal.” Growled the drone.  “But yes, I know who both of you are.  I’m a trained detective, and I’ve got access to some magical tricks that most P.I.s do not.  It was still pretty hard, though.”

“And why should I trust someone who invaded my privacy?” Marinette demanded.

The drone hovered for a long moment.  “Look, girl.” Snarled the drone.  “My man sacrificed himself earlier tonight to save both your costumed asses.  I am not interested in watching your advantage over Hawkmoth that he gave you slip away just because you’re feeling like throwing a tantrum over your privacy!  Let’s be clear here: I’m a vigilante.  I respect the law until it gets between me and justice.  And right now it’s in my way.  Help me finish the job so I can go home and –and...” the drone broke off, and she heard a brief sniffle from the drone before its speakers cut off.

Marinette paused.  _Everything hurts, but I am not the most hurt of the two of us_. 

“You’re right.” She whispered. 

The drone continued to hover silently.  Marinette stared at it.  “What is so important I need to talk to you directly about it?” Marinette finally asked, her tone one of apology.

“Amongst other things… I know who Hawkmoth is.” replied Weasel.

Marinette glanced over to where Tikki had fled to hide, and saw the tiny red spirit hovering there, out in the open. Tikki‘s are eyes huge, but a tired smile touches her face.  The tiny spirit nodded at the unasked question:  _Do we trust her?_

**“Spots on!”**    One sparking transformation later, Ladybug appeared again, suit undamaged, blue eyes determined.

“Where are you?” she asked the drone.

The drone pivoted to the window.  “Follow.” It commanded.  And with that it whipped away.

Ladybug slipped out after it, and swung through the deepening Parisian night. 

A few minutes of swinging over Paris later, she found herself approaching a very distinctive Parisian building: the Hotel Champs Elysées Plaza.  And hanging out atop the building she could see the distinct black silhouette of her partner.  Even as she processed who the darker blot atop the building must be she saw him stand – clearly he had spotted her coming with his superior night vision. 

Chat gave her a weary wave as she touched down nearby.  She gave him a smile in return.

“How are you feeling, Chaton?”  She inquired as she closed the distance to stand before her partner.

“Weary and sore, My Lady.  My kawami did his best, but healing is not his strength.  How about you?”  Chat replied.  _Dang, he sound beat.  Not that I blame him, that was harder than any five akuma fight put together I can think of._

“Similar.  My kwami can heal, though, and you took the brunt of it, so I suspect you are more battered than I am.”  She replied.  _I wish keeping our identities wasn’t so important, I’d loan him Tikki so he can get better._

“Not to interrupt,” buzzed the two drones hovering nearby, in perfect symphony – _one each to guide us here_ – “but my day has not precisely been fun either and the sooner you two are inside the sooner we can be done and we can all get some sleep.”  Below Ladybug heard a window unlatch and open.

Ladybug gestured wordlessly towards the window beneath them, and Chat nodded and dropped off the roof to the tiny balcony in front of the window.  With a final glance up and down the darkened street, Ladybug followed him inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gave me some trouble and I have not had a chance to edit it properly. 
> 
> I was thinking about doing a chapter were Chat is having a similar conversation but it seemed redundant.
> 
> Next update will hopefully be on 9/15/17.


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